Happy Endings Depend On Where You Stop The Story
by NotYetLostFaith
Summary: Sixth Instalment: Our families are growing steadily. There have been some big changes and so far all is well. But you know what they say: happy endings depend on where you stop the story. M Chapter/s-Seven, Sixty Seven
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note-I'm back. This story is coming quite easily so far so much so that I've written several chapters already. As always, comments and queries are welcome. I'll be doing the usual five reviews for a chapter, unless I get bored of waiting. So, with out further ado, I present my newest creation. Enjoy. NYLF xx

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"Happy birthday to you." The team all finished singing as, with his mother's help, Oscar blew out the three candles that adorned the top of his cake. Everyone clapped and cheered while Tony switched the lights back on. Abby ruffled the little boy's curly hair with the hand that wasn't wrapped around the twenty seven month old on her hip.

"You're getting old now Bud. You'll have to come to work soon." She teased.

"I don't wanna work for Grampa Gibbs." He whispered, altogether unsuccessfully to his auntie. "He's scary when he's working." Gibbs chuckled heartily while Ziva smiled at him.

"You do not have to work for your grandfather Neshomeleh, not yet at least." She shot Gibbs a smile. "Now, you must be very careful." She placed the flat knife in his hands and covered them with her own. "Ready?" The small boy nodded enthusiastically. "Okay." She gently pushed his hands down through the cake producing more cheers from the surrounding group.

"Can I go play now Ima?" Ziva laughed gently, kissing the top of his head.

"Of course, Tateleh, off you go."

"Me too, me too." Ava giggled, kicking her little feet as she tried to relinquish her mother's grasp of her.

"Okay Sweetie but be careful okay?" Abby told her softly as she placed the little girl on the ground and watched her toddle off. McGee stood beside his partner.

"She's fine, Abs. You gotta let her play." She smiled at him softly.

"I know, she is just so precious to me." Abby sighed, watching her daughter and nephew embark on a very intricate and elaborate game that none of the adults in the room had any hope of understanding. Tony wrapped his arm around Ziva's hips, drawing her close as he kissed the side of her head.

"You did good Sweetheart. The cake looks amazing." Ziva had been up half the night decorating the foot long train. "When he's settled down I'm sure he'll love it." Ziva chuckled.

"You gave him chocolate before ten this morning, he will not settle." Gibbs looked on at his team, his family, realising just how close they had all become.

"Umm, Zi?" McGee asked several moments later.

"Yeah?"

"Can I put the twins down in Oscar's room for a bit? Those two are going to wake them up if they get any louder." Ziva chuckled.

"Of course. Here give me Ethan." She replied, taking the baby boy's car seat out of his arms. McGee followed Ziva down the hall into the nursery and placed both of the car seats under the window. "How are they?"

"They're doing really well, they've just discovered rolling." Ziva laughed, both fond and scary memories of Oscar at that stage filling her mind. "So we're up and down all night turning Ethan back onto his back, he cries every _single_ time he ends up on his tummy, Isla loves it though." The twins, Ethan Mike and Isla Shelly, named after Franks and both Shannon and Kelly, had always been so very different from each other. Even from birth, Isla had been the more adventurous one, much like her mother. She was talkative and bubbly and never stopped smiling. Ethan, on the other hand was cautious, caring and sensitive, but he could be demanding when he had to be, very like his father. Now, at six months, their personalities were developing quickly, making raising them both rather a handful for the young couple. Add into that the very excitable bundle of energy that was Ava, they had their work cut out. Ziva led them out of the room, closing the door behind them.

"How is Ava taking it? I noticed she was a little jealous when they first came home."

"She was terribly jealous, but she's okay now. She loves them both." Abby smiled at her partner as they entered the kitchen again before turning her attention back to the two small children playing in the living room. Tony moved to stand beside Jimmy and Brenna, sipping his coffee.

"Kayla, sweetie, do you wanna play?" He asked, stroking the two year old's back gently as she sat in her daddy's arms, watching her cousins closely. She nodded gently. "Come on then." Tony carefully lifted the little girl out of Jimmy's arms and set her down beside Oscar and Ava. "Play nicely okay?" All three kids nodded before playing again while Tony joined the rest of the adults in the kitchen.

"Y'know Boss, I've been thinking..."

"Don't hurt yourself." McGee quipped receiving a glare.

"Has any rule ever been broken as many times as Rule Twelve?"

"Well, you and Ziver broke it first, then Abby and Tim. I changed it, Ziva got pregnant, so you keeping it out of the office became pretty much impossible, then I had to bench you four far too often for that to work and now I've had another two pregnancies, one of them multiple, after it was changed again." Abby laughed at the three agents' guilty faces.

"The short answer is apart from Six, which is broken quite a lot, no. Twelve is the most broken. Shockingly though, Ziva and Tony haven't broken this one yet." McGee laughed until he felt Abby's elbow make contact with his ribs. "Ow, what was that for?" Abby motioned at Ziva, whose eyes had dropped to the floor. "Sorry."

"No, not at all." Ziva murmured, taking several seconds to look up. "So, who wants cake?"

"Goodnight Neshomeleh." Ziva whispered, placing a kiss in his curls before getting up from his side, switching on his nightlight and pulling the door ajar. She entered her bedroom slowly, shedding her shirt and jeans as she did.

"He asleep?" Tony asked, looking up from McGee's newest book. Ziva merely nodded before pulling her nightdress on and releasing her hair from its tight ponytail. "He really seemed to enjoy the day."

"Yes, I think he enjoyed spending time with Ava and Kayla. With all of our schedules as crazy as they are, we do not get to do that as often as we should." She got into bed, kissed his cheek and snuggled down, facing away from him. "Goodnight Tony." He sighed, put his book on the cabinet and turned to face her.

"Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?" He asked gently, tracing patterns on her arm above the sheets.

"No." She said quickly but she didn't move from his touch.

"Talk to me Ziva." She turned onto her back, eyes glued to the ceiling.

"Do you ever think that, if the last time had not been so traumatic, we would have had another child by now?" He sighed again and kissed her shoulder before laying beside her and draping an arm across her abdomen.

"We might have."

"Do you ever think about having another?" Tony fell onto his back with a thud.

"Why are we having this discussion Zi? We can't have more children."

"We can. You just do not want to." Ziva replied tensely.

"And you do? You're willing to risk your life, Oscar's right to have his mother, my right to have my wife to have another child?" Tony's volume decreased as the tension in his words rose.

"Do not bring Oscar into this." She warned him.

"Why not? He'll be affected just as much if not more if you decided to leave us. Tell me Zi, why are you still so ready to die?" Ziva sighed before turning to face away from him once more.

"I am done arguing about this." She answered thickly. Tony faced the opposite wall.

"We weren't arguing." They both sighed almost simultaneously before Tony drifted off and Ziva wiped the tear rolling down her cheek away and settled into sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, the door bell rang just before seven.

"Hi, Jimmy. Just give us two minutes." Ziva smiled, opening the door and inviting him in. Because of their schedules being the most lenient of the team, Jimmy and Abby took turns doing the 'school run' for all of the children. He picked up Kayla, putting him on her hip before entering the hallway which Ziva had already disappeared down.

"Daddy?" The little girl asked slowly, patting her father's chest as she spoke.

"Yes Kayla?" Jimmy stopped looking around the apartment in favour of making eye contact with his daughter.

"Aun'ie Zi'a, does see not have 'nother baby like mummy?" Breena had struggled with being pregnant and they had both decided that she would be sterilised after she gave birth to Kayla. The little girl only knew that she was special to her parents and that they wouldn't have more children. Unaware of Ziva's presence, Jimmy spoke to the girl in a low voice.

"Auntie Ziva and Uncle Tony…" He paused not really knowing how to put the situation. "Auntie Ziva…"

"Is ready." Ziva interrupted, earning her a startled but grateful smile from him. She passed Jimmy Oscar's backpack, which he quickly shouldered, before crouching before the child stood next to her. "Do you remember who's picking you up this afternoon?"

"Auntie Abby." Ziva smiled.

"Good boy. Auntie Abby will be there to pick you up at home time and then you get to play in the lab with your cousins until either papa or I can take you home okay?"

"Okay Ima." She kissed his cheek.

"Good boy. I will see you this afternoon khamud. Have fun." She ruffled his curls before passing his hand to Jimmy.

"Say goodbye to Ima, Oscar." The little boy waved.

"Shalom Ima."

"Shalom little one." Kayla waved and once Ziva had waved back and thanked Jimmy once more, they were on their way to the McGee household.

"Jimmy." Abby greeted with her usual bubbliness. "Timmy is just getting Ava's bag packed." Jimmy had opted to leave Oscar and Kayla in the car seeing as he had to carry two car seats and deal with a very hyperactive two year old. Two minutes later, McGee appeared from the nursery, holding Ava's bright pink and purple backpack in one hand with the other holding her to his chest.

"Someone's sleepy." Jimmy murmured stroking Ava's cheek gently.

"We had a rough night." McGee replied. "You want daddy to carry you to Uncle Jimmy's car Angel?" The little girl nodded and McGee kissed her ebony locks. "Okay Precious. Abs, can you…" Abby nodded and returned moments later with the baby bag over her shoulder and both the twins strapped into their car seats.

"Here, I'll take them." Jimmy smiled, taking the babies. Abby kissed them both before kissing Ava's forehead.

"I'll see you soon sweetie okay?" She passed McGee the baby bag.

"O'ay mummy." McGee followed Jimmy out of the apartment and, once Ava was strapped into her booster securely, kissed her forehead before making his way back to the apartment to finish getting dressed for the day.

All three agents entered the elevator together. McGee stood between Tony and Ziva, sensing the subtle tension in both of them: they'd been arguing again.

"So, we were thinking about maybe having a movie night at our place." McGee started cheerily. "Invite Oscar and Kayla and have a kiddie night in."

"That sounds wonderful, McGee." Ziva agreed, not looking up from the closed doors.

"Maybe tonight? I'm sure Ava would love to spend time with her cousins again."

"You wanna have all the kids over on a Monday?" Tony asked incredulously, not looking at the agent.

"Well, seeing as it's Abs' turn to take everyone in the morning it kinda makes sense. Give's you two a night off and Jimmy and Breena. So, what d'ya say?" Ziva shot him a grateful smile just as the doors opened.

"It sounds perfect. I will go home in my lunch break and get some things for him." With that settled, the three adults left the elevator in stride before sitting at their respective desks, ready to start the day.

An hour in, Gibbs put the phone down slowly and ran his hand over his eyes.

"You alright Boss?" Tony asked, looking up from his paperwork just in time to catch the motion.

"I'm fine." He snapped. "I'm fine." The anger and volume had dropped from his voice. Ziva and McGee looked to each other before standing in unison.

"Call out?" McGee asked carefully.

"Yeah, grab your gear."

"What we got Boss?" Gibbs took a deep breath.

"Dead petty officer and two missing kids, at the navy personnel day-care centre." McGee dropped his bag, Tony tightened his grip on the cell he was holding and Ziva sat on the edge of her desk, her knees no longer capable of supporting her.

"B-Boss?" McGee stuttered and the colour drained from his face when Gibbs turned to him.

"I know." Tony and Ziva exchanged looks of pure terror before gathering their things with a renewed vigour.

"I will drive." Ziva stated with a slight tremble in her voice. Everyone nodded. No one could disagree that time was of the essence.

The charger pulled up, swiftly followed by the truck and the autopsy van. Tony and Ziva left the truck barely waiting for the vehicle to completely stop, just as Gibbs and McGee left the car. All four agents stood on the street, looking on at the scene before them while they were joined by Palmer and Ducky.

"Shall we get started?" Ducky asked slowly. Everyone else nodded; despite the fact no one was looking at each other, before stepping forward to start their jobs.

"McGee, bag and tag, Ziver, sketch and shoot, Tony, witness statements." Gibbs rattled off, already walking over to talk to the police officer that was first on the scene. Ducky and Palmer went straight to the body while the team got to work.

"What ya got, Duck?" Gibbs asked, noticing but not drawing attention to the fear that resided in his voice. Ducky looked up from the body to face his friend.

"How are they?"

"Their doing their jobs, all I can ask."

"Do we know who's missing yet?"

"Nah, not yet. They're doing a register as we speak." Ducky nodded.

"Single gunshot to the head, simple but effective. She died less than an hour ago." Tony joined the trio.

"Her name's Petty Officer Regina Abbot. She's twenty three, got a daughter at the centre, she was dropping her off."

"Is she…"

"Present and accounted for, top of the register." Tony confirmed. "Boss, all the kids were moved to the nap room when the shooting started, we were wondering if..." Gibbs nodded and Tony rushed off. "Zi?" He called.

"Yeah?" She was immediately on her feet as she followed him to the nap room, with McGee not far behind.

All three agents entered the room and, while McGee spoke with the young woman in charge, Ziva and Tony immediately fell to their knees beside Oscar.

"Hey Bud." Tony greeted with a huge smile, while Ziva embraced the small boy.

"Ima, you're squishing me." He protested. Ziva pulled back chuckling before kissing his forehead.

"Oh Sweetheart we are just glad you are safe." She smiled at the boy until Tony put a hand on her shoulder. "What?" He motioned to the other side of the room where McGee sat, white as a sheet, cradling Ethan and Isla close. Ziva rose to her feet and crossed the room while Tony hoisted Oscar onto his hip. "Tim?" She asked carefully, crouching beside him.

"Ava…" He paused, a shuddering breath tearing through his chest. "She's missing. They think he…he took her." Ziva blanched as she turned to face Tony.

"Find Kayla, take her to Jimmy." Tony nodded and passed Oscar to her. "Tim, we will find her. Okay. I promise you, we will find her."

"Tony?" He called. Tony stopped searching and turned to face him.

"Yeah?"

"Go get Jimmy, Kayla's the other missing kid."


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note-I was rather surprised that no one seemed angry that the children had gone missing. Hmmm... Oh well, enjoy NYLF xx

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"Kayla Mae Palmer. Kilo-Alpha-Yankee-Lima-Alpha, Mike-Alpha-Echo, Papa-Alpha-Lima-Mike-Echo-Romeo." Tony repeated for the fifth time.

"Ava Caitlin McGee. Alpha-Victor-Alpha, Charlie-Alpha-India-Tango-Lima-India-November, Mike-Charlie-Golf-Echo-Echo, big Mike, little Charlie, big Golf." Ziva sighed for the third time. While the two agents put out BOLOS on the girls, Abby sat in the corner of the bullpen, desperately holding back tears, with Ethan and Isla sat either side of her, McGee was trying to distract himself, tirelessly trawling through security tapes and traffic cameras, tracking their as yet nameless suspect while Oscar sat at his daddy's desk colouring and Jimmy paced just outside the bullpen, calling Breena for the fifth time. Gibbs listened to an automated voice tell him how important his call was to her while watching the scene. After everything that his team had gone through to bring their children into the world, only for some psychopathic bastard to take them from day-care, it made him physically sick to the pit of his stomach.

"Breena! Oh thank God, honey you need to get to NCIS now...No, Bree this isn't a joke… Kayla's missing." Jimmy held the phone closer to his ear. "It's okay, baby we'll find her. Don't cry." The whole team could hear the anguished cries of a distraught Breena filtering down the phone line and all of their hearts sank just that little bit more. Once he had established that she was on her way he put down the phone.

"Okay, yes, thank you." Ziva replaced the handset to the cradle with more force than it needed before cursing in Hebrew. All the adults around her looked up expectantly. "He says that he has every team he can spare working the case." Gibbs was the first to sense her hesitancy.

"And…?"

"And." She paused and closed her eyes. Tony fought the urge to end his call and embrace his wife. "They've found blood Gibbs. Kayla's blood." She had whispered the last part but, like any caring parent, Jimmy had heard. In one motion he picked up his cell and hurled it across the bullpen, narrowly missing the agent walking there, before sinking to his knees. Huge screamed sobs shattered his frame while Abby moved over to embrace him.

In the next hour, Breena had arrived, crying waterfalls before collapsing into her husband's arms, Abby had broken down, howling into McGee's shoulder as he tried to comfort her with a tight embrace and Gibbs had sent all four of them to the conference room along with the twins. So, when the third hour of the girls being missing ticked over, Ziva and Tony were working hard at their desks, Gibbs was in MTAC, conferencing with everyone involved in the search and Oscar was curled up beside his mother's desk, looking an awful lot like his late but ever present auntie, fast asleep.

"What ya got?" Gibbs asked, sweeping into the bullpen. Tony and Ziva looked at each other before turning to face him.

"LeeAnne Larraby, the woman in charge of the centre, says she saw a Caucasian male, mid to late forties enter through the main door at zero nine ten this morning, carrying what she thinks was a Beretta 9mm, but she cannot be completely sure. He shot five rounds, killing Abbot and grazing Kayla, before looking around and taking…Kayla and Ava and walked back out." Ziva stated, pulling the CCTV footage onto the plasma. "The CCTV supports this."

"Now, it looks like this wasn't random, boss. He was searching for someone in particular. I mean, Harriett Abbot was stood right beside her mother, if he wanted to just take a kid…"

"He would have taken her." Gibbs finished pensively. "So this is potentially personal." Both of his agents nodded. "Okay DiNozzo…"

"Put together a list of everyone that might have a grudge on Abby, McGee, Jimmy or Breena. Already done boss." Gibbs looked mildly impressed. "It's quite a list when you think of all the people Jimmy and Abby have helped but away, not to mention all the cases that McGee's worked on..."

"We cannot as of yet find anyone with a grudge on Breena." Ziva finished. She got up and stepped over Oscar before coming to stand by Gibbs. "We have made inquires into the whereabouts of all the people on our list. Excluding people who do not fit the description, are still in prison, have been out for more than six months, or who are currently not in the area, we narrowed it down to four people."

"James Mackenzie, got out of jail last week after serving a three year sentence due to Abby's testimony." Tony started as he walked over to join them. "Elliot Oliver, released yesterday after a six year sentence thanks to McGee."

"Richard Smith…" Ziva started.

"He is a more interesting one." Tony interrupted.

"Today is his wife's anniversary. McGee and I worked the case, he ended up shooting her when she opened fire on us. And then Dylan Thomas, his daughter was killed in a hostage situation last week, Petty Officer Pippa Thomas..."

"McGee tried to talk down the suspect, when it didn't work…"

"The suspect shot Pippa." Gibbs looked from one of them to the other.

"Where is Thomas now?"

"We…cannot find him." Gibbs stared at her. "But we will. I shall call his wife and leave another message."

"I'll track his cell." With that they both went back to their desks.

"I want a location by the time I get back." Gibbs called as he made his way to the conference room.

"Ziva?" Tony asked hesitantly the moment Gibbs was out of sight.

"Yes?" Tony sighed.

"Forget that you're a mom and basically a relative of the girls for a second."

"Okay?" She asked, confusion lacing her voice and features.

"What do ya think our chances of finding them both alive are?" The fear in his tone was undeniable.

"They have been missing for three hours already and we are only just narrowing down our suspect list." She reminded him cautiously.

"Yeah." He paused as he set up the tracker on his computer. "I was afraid of that."

"Tony…"

"No hits on either BOLO yet boss…"

"Every local LEO has a picture of Thomas, we have put trackers on his credit card and phone: if he moves, Gibbs, we will find him." It had now been seven hours since the girls had gone missing and except the occasional hit the head or vending machine break neither Tony nor Ziva had moved from their desks. "How are they?"

"They'd be better if we found their kids." Gibbs replied tensely. Ziva nodded before picking up her phone and dialling.

"Gibbs?" Tony started carefully. "Do we have _any _idea where Thomas is?" Gibbs suddenly put his head in his hands, worrying both of his remaining agents.

"No, we have no idea where he is, we have no idea where the girls are, if they're still alive, if they're still together. We know absolutely nothing and Abby won't stop crying." Tony looked on at his mentor, sympathy and concern shining in his eyes. Gibbs cleared his throat. "Those girls have been missing for seven hours." He reminded them. "I want them found before dawn tomorrow." With that he left, heading back to the conference room or MTAC, where he had been dividing his time all day. Ziva took a juice box out of her desk and passed it to Oscar, who was sat at her feet colouring.

"We should get comfortable then yes?"

Ten hours later, Gibbs walked into the bullpen all set to quick fire questions at them, he stopped however when he saw the scene in front of him. Tony was slumped over his desk, fast asleep, with Ziva's coat draped across his shoulders while the woman herself was whispering into the phone with Oscar curled up on her lap, wrapped in Tony's suit jacket.

"Okay, no, not at all thank you." Ziva whispered before lowering the phone into the cradle without a sound.

"Hey." She looked up at him and he could clearly see the exhaustion on her face.

"Hi, Gibbs." She looked over at Tony and smiled gently. "I did not have the heart to wake him."

"How long's he been asleep?" Ziva adjusted Oscar on her lap to look at her watch.

"About an hour. Oscar woke up with a bad dream and would not sleep unless I was holding him, I am aware it is slightly unorthodox to work with a three year old on my lap but we had no choice. Tony wrapped him in his jacket and then went back to his desk. He has not stopped. About an hour ago he slumped onto his desk so I covered him up and let him sleep. Be gentle when you wake him." She sighed.

"Not gonna Ziver." He assured her before placing a cup of coffee in front of her. "Just thought you'd need this." She smiled at him gratefully before taking a sip.

"Everyone still in the conference room?" Gibbs sat on the edge of his desk closest to hers before taking his own sip.

"I sent Jimmy and Breena home a while ago, told them we'd call. Abs and McGee took the twins home just a minute ago. Wanted them to be in their own beds." Ziva nodded before stroking a curl from Oscar's face. "If you wanna take him home…" She shook her head.

"I want to find the girls, I will leave when they are safe in their parents' arms." Gibbs rubbed her shoulder with one finger.

"You know, just as I do, that the chances of finding them…"

"They are _family_, Jethro, we _have_ to find them." A single, tired, fearful tear fell down her cheek. "I know the statistics Gibbs, but I do not have to believe them." Oscar stirred in his sleep.

"Ima?" Ziva wiped away the tear before kissing the top of his head.

"I am here, Neshomeleh, Ima is here." Gibbs gave her a pointed look before moving to sit at his desk.


	4. Chapter 4

The sky outside had just started to lighten when Ziva leant back into her chair as her eyes slipped closed. She'd been working non stop all day, singularly after Tony had fallen asleep around one. She wasn't asleep long though as a beep ripped her from the beginnings of a dream. She rubbed her eyes with her free hand before adjusting Oscar and sitting up to deal with the sound before it woke father and child.

"What time is it?" Tony asked sleepily, not yet moving his head from his desk. Ziva smiled over at him.

"Just after six."

"How long did I sleep for?" He asked, rubbing a hand through his hair as he sat up more fully.

"Just under five hours." She murmured distractedly, reading and re-reading the result that had called for her attention.

"What is it?" He stepped around his desk and stood beside hers, taking Oscar from her in order to allow her to stretch properly.

"I…umm…I think I have Thomas' location." She answered shocked. "I have found him." Husband and wife smiled at each other while Ziva took out her cell.

"Yeah, Gibbs." The older man answered, he had gone home around two, working on his boat while looking over the case file until about half an hour ago.

"We have Thomas' location, Gibbs." The excitement was just barely overtaking the exhaustion in her voice.

"Okay, phone McGee, let him know. I'll meet you there. We go in quite and slow, I'm not risking those girls anymore than I have to." He ended the call before she could respond but she didn't mind as she quickly started to call McGee.

"Zi, I'm gonna take him downstairs. I'm sure security won't mind watching him for an hour." He called but she barely acknowledged him as she relayed information to their teammate.

"I need to know you will be professional." Gibbs glared at McGee. "All of you." He directed his gaze to both Tony and Ziva and all three nodded.

"By the book." McGee stated and both of his colleagues nodded.

"Okay." He gestured at Tony and Ziva to take the back while he and McGee went in through the front door. Both men burst through the door simultaneously to Ziva and Tony entered the back. Sigs drawn, they proceeded to clear the lower floor. With a few more gestures from Gibbs, Tony and Ziva ascended the stairs while he and McGee went down the the basement.

"Federal Agent! Drop your weapon!" Came Ziva's shout from upstairs, followed by two shots, alerting Gibbs and McGee, causing them both to run up the stairs to join the others. By the time they followed Tony into the room, Thomas was on the floor, single bullet to the head and Ziva's hands, still clasped around her gun, were shaking.

"Ziva. Baby. Put the gun down." Tony soothed, taking the gun from her hands and putting it back in her holster at her hip.

"What happened?" Gibbs asked quickly. Ziva merely turned her head to face the door frame behind her, sporting a bullet of its own. "Are you hurt?" Gibbs had followed her eye line. She shook her head. "Where are the girls?"

"Only room we are yet to check." She murmured and while McGee and Gibbs ran off to collect them, Tony embraced his still shaking wife.

"Ava?" McGee asked as he opened the door, leading to what had to have been Pippa's childhood bedroom. Sat up in twin child beds were Ava and Kayla, who was sporting a bandaged shin, obviously where the blood had come from.

"Dada, wha' goin' on?" Ava asked sleepily. McGee was immediately beside her, engulfing her in a hug that was at least on a par to the one her mother would give her while Gibbs hoisted Kayla onto his hip.

"Shall we go home little one?" He asked gently, tapping the end of her nose, making her giggle.

"Yes p'ease, G'ampa Gibbs." McGee cradled Ava close to his chest as they carried the girls out to the charger; they'd had the foresight to bring both of their car seats.

"Ziva? Sweet? Are you okay?" Tony asked as he stood there, just listening to her breath into his shoulder. "We should go, I'm not sure being here with the body's doing you any favours." She hadn't said a word since Gibbs left and she was starting to worry him. "Ziva? Honey, speak to me."

"Where did you leave Oscar?"

"With security. They said they were happy to have him as long as we needed them to."

"We should go." She sounded so calm, but he knew the tremble was there, just under the surface. He squeezed her before leading them from the room and out of the house. Gibbs straightened after strapping Kayla in and nodded at his agents as they got into the other car and sped off without a word.

After Gibbs phoned Ducky and Vance to get him to send a team to process the scene, he drove both the girls back to NCIS where Abby, Jimmy and Breena were waiting for them. The moment the four of them exited the elevator, three over the moon parents descended.

"Oh Darling, hello Baby." Abby babbled as she took Ava into her arms and held her closer than she ever had before. "Are you alright?"

"Mama, I fine." The two year old giggled, revelling in all the attention. Meanwhile Breena had taken Kayla from Gibbs and was showering her in kisses while Jimmy took a look at her shin.

"Hurts daddy." She pouted. Jimmy kissed the bandage.

"Better?" The little girl nodded before reaching out to him. He took her into his arms and held her tightly. "It'll all be okay now Pumpkin, mummy and daddy've got ya." Gibbs smiled at the scene before him, despite being acutely aware that Tony and Ziva were nowhere to be seen.

Just a few feat away, Ziva leant against the sink in the men's room while Tony watched the tears threaten to fall.

"Why has this got to you so badly?" He asked carefully, knowing full well that if he pushed her she would just shut down.

"I, I understood him." She faltered, closing her eyes against the sting unshed tears were causing.

"You understood a man who kidnapped your nieces?" She shook her head.

"I understand his motives, more than the actions."

"This may be one of the times you have to be real specific."

"Do not worry." She opened her eyes, blinked back the tears and composed herself. "We should go collect Oscar."

"Ziver?" Gibbs called her over once she and Tony returned to the bullpen. She hoisted Oscar better onto her hip before joining him at her desk.

"Yes, Gibbs?" He passed her her backpack, badge and cell before discretely passing Tony her gun, neither parent flaunted their guns while Oscar was around.

"Go home. Get some sleep, spend time with this one." Gibbs ruffled the little boy's hair as she looked around the bullpen to find that McGee had already left, presumably taking Abby and Jimmy and Breena with him.

"But the paperwork, incident reports…"

"They'll all still be here tomorrow. You've been booked in for your mandatory psych at ten tomorrow so come in, do that paperwork then go there okay?" She nodded. "Okay."


	5. Chapter 5

"So, Ziva, how are you?" Nicky Whitehead, psychologist on the NCIS payroll, asked calmly. She'd seen Ziva before, after nearly every case and, even though she had wished she could forget, after she got back from Somalia.

"Fine." Ziva asked shortly.

"You shot someone yesterday." Nicky continued, rereading Ziva's incident report.

"I shoot a lot of people, it is part of my job."

"I am aware."

"Then why are you asking if I am okay after shooting someone? I was just doing my job." Nicky sighed.

"Ziva, why did this case affect you so much?"

"You are kidding right?" Ziva scoffed. "Despite appearances, I am not an emotionless machine, I do have feelings. My dearest friends' children were kidnapped, it was always going to affect me."

"I have read both your, and Agent DiNozzo's incident reports. You were shaking violently when Agents DiNozzo, Gibbs and McGee found you. So much so that Agent DiNozzo had to relieve you of your weapon. That isn't usual for you is it?" Ziva shook her head.

"No." She murmured.

"So why did this case affect you so much?" She asked again.

"Because I had, had very little sleep…" She tried to deflect but she saw right through it.

"Ziva." She warned.

"Because I understand him." Nicky was trained to keep the shock off her face. She made a note on the notepad in front of her before addressing the issue.

"You understand a man who kidnapped two two year olds? Two two year olds who are, for all intents and purposes, your pseudo family?" Ziva shook her head, refusing to look up from her hands.

"I understand the reasoning more than the actions." Another note was jotted down.

"Explain that to me." Ziva sighed and started twirling her wedding band around her finger.

"Thomas' daughter, Pippa, was shot and killed. He believed, and was perhaps right in believing that Agent McGee could have done more to save her. Jimmy Palmer then made a rather inappropriate comment while processing the body. It was harmless and just how he works but I can understand how it would distress her father. I can understand the need for revenge on the person that should have saved your child and the person who, in your mind, should have treated her with more respect." That was the most Ziva had ever said in her sessions, a fact that didn't go unnoticed. "If it had been Oscar…" She trailed off, twirling her ring slightly more forcefully.

"But it wasn't Oscar, and it wasn't Tali." Ziva looked up with a start and Nicky felt her start to close off. "So, you didn't want to shoot him because you understood him?"

"No, I did not want to shoot him because he was not going to hurt the girls or myself." Ziva sighed. "When Agent Gibbs sent me and Agent DiNozzo upstairs in search for Thomas and the girls, we split up. We decided that if we started at different ends and worked towards each other then we would cover the floor quicker and neutralise any threat. In the first room I entered, Thomas was sat, reading. I told him calmly to get on his knees and put his hands behind his head. He put down his book and picked up the gun beside him so I positioned my weapon at his head and told him that I was a federal Agent and that he was to put down his weapon. He said that he was never going to hurt them and…" Ziva paused, spinning her ring so much by now that it had to be hurting. "I flinched."

"You flinched?"

"I do not know why, maybe the lack of sleep, but at the mention of the girls I flinched, this caused my trigger finger to move slightly. Thomas saw it and fired, he believed I was going to shoot him so he shot at me in self-defence. He missed and I pulled the trigger, it was a reflex. That man died because he wanted the people he felt were responsible for his daughter's death to feel some of the pain he was feeling. He died because I was unprofessional and allowed my emotions to get in the way of my ability to keep a steady hand in the field. We both fired in what we believed to be self-defence."

"Do you blame yourself for his death?" Ziva looked up sharply, her ring stilling for the first time since she started explaining.

"I killed him, whom else is there to blame?"

"That's not what I meant. I meant if, let's say for argument's sake, that Agent DiNozzo had found him, do you think there would have been a different outcome? Do you think Thomas would now be in interrogation rather than the morgue?" Ziva pondered that for a moment.

"No. I believe that I acted within protocol and that any other Agent would have reacted in the same way." Nicky smiled.

"So do I." She closed the notepad on her lap. "I shall see you next time, Agent David." The two women stood at the same time and shook hands before Ziva left the office.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Tony asked as Ziva returned to the bullpen. She nodded before taking her seat. "That bad huh?"

"No, not bad, just…interesting." She stared into space for several moments before starting to type. Tony watched her with interest. The last time, and most times before that, she had left that room with a empty dormant expression and unshed tears in her eyes. It took her several minutes to get back to her professional mask. This time however she seemed merely tense, very tense. But there were no tears, no emptiness behind the chocolate in her eyes. She turned to meet his eye and he quickly stopped staring. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah." He nodded.

"You do not sound convinced." She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly as if she was trying to see what was bothering him.

"You usually cry." He sighed and she sat up slightly straighter, taken aback.

"You…want me to cry?"

"No." He shook his head fervently. "No, you just usually do that's all." She tilted her head slightly.

"I was thinking…"

"Dangerous pastime." He smiled at her glare.

"I was _thinking _of perhaps asking Abby to babysit tonight." Tony's full attention was suddenly on his wife.

"Why?" He asked at length. She shrugged.

"We have not had any time alone, and also, I think it might help her to see that, just because of what happened, we do not need to keep our children locked up. Unless, of course, you do not want to spend an Oscar free evening with me?" He smiled brilliantly and Ziva couldn't help but return it.

"I would love to spend the evening with you." He smiled and nothing could take it off his face for the rest of the day.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note-Ridiculously short chapter, kinda reminiscent of the chapters in The Anniversary, but one, lots of information and two, leads into the next chapter which will be M. This is your warning for the next one. Enjoy NYLF xx

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Abby had come over to pick Oscar up a few hours ago and Ziva was stood in the kitchen cooking dinner while Tony had a shower. She was just about to drain the pasta when Tony slipped his hands around her waist from behind and kissed the side of her neck.

"That smells delicious." Tony murmured, his lips not entirely leaving her neck. She chuckled, leaning back into him more fully. "So do you."

"Good, now would you kindly remove your hands before it goes to waste?" He chuckled, kissed just below her ear, squeezed her and then removed himself from her to sit at the table. They ate in relative silence, a comfortable one, while they listened to music on the radio in the lounge. Heated glances and occasional touches told of a very different dessert than Ziva had planned.

"I love you Ziva." Tony said suddenly into her ear as he put away their dishes. She looked up at him with a gentle smile. "You know that right?" She nodded, emotion constricting the throat. "Hey, baby why does that still affect you so much?" She sighed.

"Because I spent so many years, wishing that you would tell me. I cannot, and hope I never, get used to it." She smiled softly as he kissed her lovingly. As he pulled away the music filtered back into their universe just as Footprints in the Sand started playing. "Dance with me." Ziva murmured as she took his hand and pulled him into her embrace. He held her close and gently started rocking them both around in small circles, humming along, while Ziva laid her head on his shoulder, soothed by the gentle vibrations of his chest. They stood there, swaying to the first song of their marriage, in their kitchen, for the entire song. Just as the last few notes filtered through the apartment, Ziva kissed the side of his neck, the only place she could reach without moving.

"Ziva?" Tony murmured gently, kissing her forehead. "Let me make love to you." The sentence still managed to send shivers down her spine. She laced her fingers between his.

"Go get comfortable." She murmured back. "I shall be there in a moment." He kissed her before moving to the bedroom. Ziva walked into the bathroom and opened the draw underneath the sink. She lifted the knife that was of permanent residence as well as various pill bottles until she found what she was looking for. She stared at it with disgust before popping one of her birth control pills from the blister pack. "You cannot do this Ziva." She scolded herself as a thought crossed her mind. She didn't pay any attention to her own thoughts though, as she tipped the pill into the empty sink and ran the faucet. Taking a deep breath she replaced the packet to the draw and walked back into the bedroom where Tony was sat on the edge of the bed. He outstretched his arms as soon as he saw her and pulled her to him.

"You all set?" He asked warmly, snaking his hands under her shirt. Despite the sudden rush of guilt, she nodded and leant down to capture his lips with hers. She would worry later.


	7. Chapter 7

Tony had her bra unclasped before she even had to come up for air. He pushed her top over her head before throwing her bra to join it on the floor. One hand went to her breast while the other went round her back and slid into the back of her pants, pulling her onto his lap in one smooth movement. She wrapped her hands over his shoulders, underneath the fabric of his shirt before moving them down to open the buttons. Her movements faltered as Tony applied pressure to her nipple.

"You alright?" He teased as she gasped for him. She could only nod as she put all of her concentration into getting his shirt off. Once the offending article hit the floor, Tony moved them both back onto the bed more fully and pulled her under him.

"Tony." She moaned gently as her hands linked behind his head. He made quick work of her button and zip before throwing her jeans onto the ever growing pile of clothes at the foot of the bed. As softly as humanly possible, he caressed her through the lace of her panties, drawing a strangled cry from her as her hips followed the motion. "No…teasing." She panted. "I need you." Tony groaned at that as her hands fell from around his neck and started to work on opening his pants. The pleasurable shake in her hands was making it near on impossible, even with her talents, to get what she wanted.

"Here." He murmured, gently taking her hands in one of his and kissing her fingertips while the other undid and took off his pants and boxers. The couple stopped for just a moment, drinking each other in. It had been a while since they were intimate, neither being particularly good at keeping quiet in the throes of passion kind of limited what they could do with a three year old just down the hall. Ziva softly took him in her hand and worked the hardened shaft until he was groaning. "So much for no teasing." He chuckled, eyes closed, concentrating on the sensation. His eyes snapped open however when her hand left him only to come back, suddenly slippery with her own wetness as she laid bare for him.

"Teased enough yet?" She smiled coyly at him. He bent to kiss her passionately as he entered her smoothly and deeply, making her whimper and clutch to him.

"Yup." He growled in her ear as he pulled all the way out just to surge back in. Her mouth formed first syllables of passionate cries but she couldn't get any further. The speed and the force that he was surging into her at were stealing her ability to do anything but gasp.

"Tony, Tony, To-ny!" She chanted as if it were her mantra as he pushed her hard and fast to the proverbial edge. "I…am…going…" She murmured as she gripped him tighter. He smiled down at her, her eyelids fluttered and her mouth formed a perfect 'oh', before slipping a hand between them and massaged her bundle of nerves in frantic circles. She jolted against him, pushing her chest to his creating just the amount of friction she needed. Within seconds she was convulsing under him and pulling him down to capture his lips with hers. He could feel her tighten around him as she poured all of the passion of the moment into the kiss.

"Ziva." He groaned as he followed her over the edge and climaxed forcefully. After several moments, he pulled out of her, rolled onto his back and pulled her into his side. Once he could breathe somewhat regularly again, he kissed her forehead softly and laced his free hand with the one she had rested on his chest. "I love you." Ziva nodded against him and kissed his chest.

"I love you too." She made sure she sounded more tired than upset knowing that if she let go of her emotions now, she would have to explain them. He squeezed her gently before resting back on the pillows. She felt his breathing even out just moments later, leaving her to hold his hand like an anchor in a storm as she fought the guilt that was bubbling inside her.


	8. Chapter 8

A month had passed since the children had come home and finally, Abby felt comfortable enough to leave them at day-care. The whole team knew how hard it would be so Ziva had decided to spend her lunch break with her.

"Hey." She greeted as she entered the back office, dragged the spare stool over to the desk and sat down opposite her friend.

"Hey." Abby replied cheerily, closing down the laptop and retrieving her skull and cross bones lunch box from the top draw. Ziva couldn't help but chuckle. "How is everything upstairs?"

"Slow." Ziva sighed. "We are all doing paperwork. Obviously I do not wish any thing bad to happen to the men and women of the navy but…"

"You wish you had a case?" Abby laughed at her friend's exacerbated nod. "Hey, at least you can have a minute to yourself without Gibbs breathing down your neck." Ziva tilted her head to the side as she chewed her sandwich.

"What do you mean?" She asked before taking another bite.

"Haven't you noticed that he's been majorly on your case lately?" Ziva shook her head.

"No more than usual." Abby pondered that.

"Hmm, I just thought he'd been looking at you funny lately. I wondered what you'd done." Ziva raised her eyebrows slightly.

"I had not noticed. I shall talk to him." She took a sip of water. "How are you coping?" Abby sighed.

"It's hard. I've had Timmy confiscate my cell so I can't phone the day-care every ten minutes like I want to." Ziva smiled gently. "I trust them, I really do but…"

"But they are your babies and you care so much about them it hurts." Abby smiled. "I get it." Ziva smiled softly.

"Hey, Zi, can I ask you a question?" Ziva nodded as she finished her sandwich. "Promise not to get upset?" She looked curious but nodded all the same. Abby took a deep breath but didn't say anything; instead she looked down at her fingers.

"Abby?" Ziva asked gently.

"Are you and Tony gonna have any more?" Ziva choked on her last bite before recovering. "Sorry."

"Do not be." She murmured as she caught her breath and sipped her water. "Umm, he does not want to."

"But…" She hesitated. "You do?" Ziva sighed.

"I understand his reasons. I do not want Tony to ever blame the baby for him loosing me or for Oscar to grow up without me but…yes ideally I would like another child." Abby nodded. "May I ask why you are so curious all of a sudden?"

"Just, y'know, am I guess. No real reason." Ziva accepted her answer despite there being something in her gaze that she couldn't quite determine. Her cell buzzed in her pocket and she sighed as she fished it out.

"David." She answered making a bored face at Abby making her giggle. "Okay, I am on my way."

"Case?" Abby asked as she replaced the phone to her pocket and swept her rubbish into the bin beside her.

"No such luck. Gibbs has decided that have all of us out of the office is 'not going to happen'."

"Where's Tony?" Ziva sighed.

"Taking a 'private' phone call from an old Baltimore friend. I heard the words spring break and hot chicks and decided that I would yell at him for it later." She smiled as Abby laughed. "Tim had better hurry up with that dentist or Gibbs will have his guts for guarders." Abby laughed.

"Garters, Zi, garters."

Gibbs was sat at his desk when Ziva came out of the stairwell and reached the bullpen.

"Elevator out of order?" He asked, not even looking up. Ziva took a seat.

"No, Gibbs." She asked confused.

"So, just missed your run this morning?" She looked over at him and was greeted by his iciest stare. She barely resisted the urge to shudder.

"No, mile, round the block three times."She informed him slowly.

"So why the stairs?" Ziva looked over at the elevator, desperately hoping Tony would choose that moment to return.

"Umm." Gibbs got up and curled a finger at her, indicating she should follow him as he called the elevator. "Gibbs?" She questioned curiously. He simply walked into the lift without a word and leant against the back wall with a smile. Ziva sighed but took the hint and followed him in, pressed a button and switched the emergency brake before facing him.

"What's going on?" He asked far more gently than she thought he would. "You're just not yourself recently." She sighed, leant against the wall and slid to the floor. He stared at her curiously.

"I thought I had hid it better than this." She ran her hands through her hair before facing him. "I would apologise, but I know how you feel about them." He smiled before sitting opposite her.

"There's no need Ziver. Just tell me what's up." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I…cannot Gibbs." He looked faintly hurt and she closed her eyes. "I just…" Her voice cracked. "Cannot." He got up and sat back down beside her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as the first tear fell.

"Shhh, it's okay. I just wanna help." He soothed gently into her hair as she started to sob into his shoulder.

"I, I stopped taking, my pill." She sobbed. "And now, I am, I am late." He didn't react, knowing it would make her feel worse.

"Tony doesn't know?" She shook her head. "He doesn't know that you stopped taking it or that you're late?" He was trying really hard to keep the images of last time out of his head as he comforted the sobbing woman. "You need to tell him."

"I, I know." He pulled back to face her.

"Why did you do it?" She shrugged as she wiped away her tears.

"It was not premeditated. It just happened. One minute I was about to take it and the next I was washing it down the sink. I do not know what I was thinking. I feel so guilty." She dropped her gaze. "I have to tell him." Gibbs nodded. "He is going to hate me." That set off the tears all over again.

"He's not gonna hate you. He couldn't hate you." He assured her. "But you do need to tell him." She nodded, trying to recover some control. "And you need to try a little harder to hide it at work if you don't want people to notice." She smiled. "And take motion sickness meds if the elevator makes you feel sick." She looked up at him curiously, to which he only shrugged.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay." Gibbs smiled.

"Good. Now, how about we get up off this floor and get back to work?" She nodded but took his arm before he could move. She pulled it around her and held him tightly. Slightly shocked at the very-Abby action he hugged her back.

"Thank you, Gibbs." He kissed her forehead.

"Not at all, Ziver."


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note-Wow, you guys are quick! I guess I'm gonna have to step up my game if I'm going to stay ahead of you. :D NYLF xx

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Ziva followed Gibbs' advice and by the end of the week, she was even able to take the elevator without having to throw up afterwards. Abby had stopped worrying so much about the children being at day-care and bullpen life had returned to as normal as usual. They still hadn't caught a case and by now, were completely up-to-date with their paperwork. This almost unheard of phenomenon had McGee almost constantly in the lab and Tony playing on his wife and boss' last nerve with his continuous throwing of paper airplanes. The third time one of his office record breaking planes glided by her forehead; Ziva put it into the top draw of her desk and locked it, before placing the key in her bra: all without looking up from the book she was reading.

"Zi, we're married, do you really think that's gonna stop me from getting it?" Gibbs glared at him over the top of his paper.

"It will in my presence." He growled. Ziva smiled as she watched Tony sink back into his chair from the corner of her eye.

"Fine." He sulked; looking so much like Oscar that Ziva couldn't help but chuckle. Both men turned to her, the first distraction in several hours. "What?"

"Oh, nothing." She chuckled, her eyes never wavering from the right to left script of her book. "I was just debating whether I should give you a juice box and a nap before you get too cranky." Gibbs chuckled as Tony scrunched up a ball and threw it at his wife who, as always, caught it and repeated the airplane process. "You can have them back at home time if you are good." Gibbs laughed out loud at the look of petulance on his senior field agent's face.

"You should have gone into teaching preschoolers, Ziver." He quipped. She smiled.

"I married one; I have no desire to teach them." Tony feigned horror which quickly turned into a smile when she winked at him. Tony pulled out his phone and started texting people, knowing that anymore antics and his wife may just shoot him, if his boss didn't beat her to it.

More than an hour had passed and the only change was the McGee had returned to his seat.

"Ziver?" Gibbs questioned as she got up from her desk suddenly.

"Sorry, Gibbs, I will be just a minute." With that she rushed off.

"What's wrong with her?" McGee asked as both he and Gibbs turned to look at Tony.

"I think she might have a water infection, she keeps running off to the head at random intervals. She won't let me take her to a doctor though." Tony smiled but quickly stopped when he saw the look his colleagues were giving him.

"I'm gonna go…be somewhere else." McGee stated before leaving quickly. Gibbs glared after him.

"Tony." Gibbs started slightly awkwardly. "Have you ever thought, that maybe, she doesn't have a water infection?" Tony only looked at him questioningly. "One of the symptoms of pregnancy is the need to hit the head a lot."

"She's not pregnant." Tony stated with finality shaking his head for emphasis.

"Are you sure?" Gibbs pressed gently, rounding his desk to sit on Ziva's, opposite his senior field agent.

"We're safe, every time." Tony shook his head. "I wouldn't risk her life like that boss." Meanwhile Ziva was on her way back until McGee stopped her just out of sight of the bullpen.

"What is going on?" She asked quietly.

"Just listen."

"Tony, I'm not suggesting that you would but…"

"No, boss, you don't understand. Ziva is the single most precious thing to me in the entire world. I would _not_ risk her life by being careless enough to get her pregnant again." Ziva felt her heart sink as she listened to her husband. "You know what she went through Gibbs. How can you think I would allow that again?"

"Because you cannot control everything." Ziva stated as she entered the bullpen swiftly followed by McGee who decided sitting quietly at his desk would be the best option right now. Tony turned to face his wife, disbelief written across his features.

"Are you saying that he's right? Are you pregnant?"

"I do not know but I would not be surprised."

"But we're so careful. Every single time." Ziva's eyes dropped to the floor and Gibbs sighed. "Zi?"

"Shall we not have this discussion here?" She asked rhetorically before heading back to the restrooms. Tony looked at his boss and after he waved him off, followed his wife.


	10. Chapter 10

Tony entered the men's room to find Ziva glaring at a very scared young Probie. Tony shot him a sympathetic smile and he quickly washed his hands and ran out of the room.

"At least he washed his hands." Ziva grimaced.

"Well Zi, when you march into the _men's _room and death stare everyone, hand hygiene isn't usually a guy's priority." Tony reminded her more heatedly then he normally would have, locking the door in the process. "What the hell did you mean in the bullpen Zi?" Ziva sighed and leant against the sink. "Ziva?" She looked down at her wedding band and breathed deeply. "Ziva DiNozzo-David! Turn around and face me!" She jolted and faced him, something discernible in her gaze. "Now, what the hell did you mean?" Somewhere in the back of his mind, Tony knew that shouting at her like this would not only evoke terrible memories for her but also be a sure fire way to draw Gibbs' attention, but he was so scared and so confused that he couldn't help it. She took a deep shaky breath and looked anywhere but at him.

"I…I did not want you to find out…not like this." She faltered quietly still avoiding his gaze. "I am sorry..."

"For me finding out like this or at all? Or maybe that you've been lying to me for God only knows how long?" His volume refused to match hers as he paced. "Did Gibbs know? Did you tell him before me?"

"You cannot…"

"He did, didn't he? You told him before me! Your boss before your husband! Nice to know you've got your priorities right Zi!" Tears had started to well in her eyes but neither acknowledged them.

"He is not just…"

"How are you even pregnant? You're on the bloody...oh." His tone dropped so quickly it scared her. "You stopped taking it. I told you I wouldn't get you pregnant so you took it in your own hands."

"Tony…" She stepped into his space. The malice in his tone was no longer concealed as he delivered the final blow.

"Or did you just fuck someone else?" Ziva's jaw hit the floor as her breathing rate increased and the tears finally fell down her cheeks. Her hand balled into a fist but she refuse to hit him. Instead she locked her eyes to the floor.

"Excuse me." She murmured as she unlocked the door and walked at speed past Gibbs who was leaning against the wall just outside. Tony screamed and punched the mirror beside him before sinking to his knees in the middle of the room just as Gibbs walked in to join him.

"That was out of order, DiNozzo." Gibbs said quietly. "And you know it." Tony nodded as his shoulders shook violently. "You have just hurt your wife in ways that you can't even imagine." Another nod. "Do you really believe that she'd ever cheat on you?" Tony didn't move save the shake that was quickly taking over his whole body. "Anthony!"

"No!" He cried. "No, I don't ever think she'd do that! I trust her with my life in the field and out! I trust her feelings for me! I trust _her!"_ He sobbed. "But…" The anger fell away leaving just sadness. "I'm scared Gibbs." He pressed through gritted teeth. Gibbs knew the feeling.

"Get that seen by Ducky." He shook his head before leaving his agent to it, knowing that now; Ziva needed him more than Tony did. He'd cry it out then straighten up and sort himself out. But right now she was so fragile he had no idea how this would go.

Meanwhile Ziva had made it all the way to the elevator before completely breaking down. She pushed a button and sat on the floor. The ding of the elevator rang out and she couldn't even move.

"Ziva?" Ducky called out as he stopped the doors closing. "Whatever is the matter my dear?" He gently put an arm around her and pulled her up. "Are you hurt?" She shook her head. "Well then, I shall put the kettle on. Take a seat and I'll be right back." He softly put Ziva in the seat beside his desk and left the room after signalling to Jimmy to sit with her.

"What happened Zi?" Jimmy asked gently, sitting beside her. She shook her head refusing to look up from the floor. "Okay." He gently patted her knee. "Well, Dr Mallard will take care of you. You want me to get Tony?" The enthusiasm of the shake worried him slightly but he let it go as Ducky came back into the room. Jimmy smiled at her and then made himself scarce.

"He is a good man that one." Ziva nodded while Ducky poured them both tea. "So, my dear, what can I do for you?" She took a deep breath that shook so much it was almost not worth it. "Take your time." And that was why she went to him instead of Abby. She needed someone to talk to that wasn't going to judge or get emotional.

"Tony and I…we had an…argument." Ducky nodded slowly. "Because…because…" Her voice started to break as the guilt started to consume her. "I stopped taking my pill."

"And now you think you may be pregnant?" Ducky asked cautiously. Ziva nodded. "May I ask when your last period was?"

"About six weeks ago." She was barely loud enough for him to hear but he persevered.

"Okay, any other symptoms?" She nodded taking a sip of her tea before nearly gagging and putting it back on the desk. Ducky smiled. "Sensitivities to things that you usually like. Anything else?"

"Nausea, fatigue, only being able to run a mile in the mornings." She listed steadily. Ducky nodded.

"I see, I can take a blood sample but that does mean involving Abigale and I don't recommend lying to her again." She shook her head.

"No, nor do I." The empty look in her eye worried him almost as much as the expressionless tone she was using.

"Is there something else?" Ziva looked up at him.

"He…he asked if I was unfaithful, Ducky." Tears started to gather in her eyes again. "Does he really believe that I could ever be with someone else?" He gently laid a hand on her arm.

"He's scared, and confused, and probably a little angry that you haven't told him before now. All of which he has every right to be." He told her gently. "But that is only because he loves you and he doesn't want to see you get hurt, especially if he could have prevented it." She wiped the tear from her cheek just as the sound of the elevator rang out. Gibbs walked through the automatic doors. "Jethro, what can we do for you?" He immediately knelt beside Ziva.

"Are you okay?" He asked gently. "Did he hurt you?" Ziva shook her head.

"Not physically." She replied sadly. "He would never lay a hand on me in anger, Gibbs." He nodded as he stood.

"Duck, Tony'll be down at some point. He probably needs stitches in his hand." Ziva looked up at him suddenly.

"What did he do?"

"Punched the mirror." He answered quickly. "I need you to evalve him, quietly. If he's not fit I need to know." Ziva stood up and joined them.

"Gibbs, if he is not fit then it is my fault. I…I have to talk to him." She assessed quietly.

"Well, yeah, Ziver. But right now he needs to calm down. Talking to him now will do more harm than good." Ziva wiped her face before kissing Ducky's cheek.

"Thank you, for listening." She murmured before leaving autopsy.

"Did you draw her blood?" Gibbs asked but Ducky shook his head.

"I think she wants to make amends before she has to tell Abigale, who will undoubtedly tell Timothy and they will both have something to say on the matter. I think she wants to know that he'll have her back whatever may happen." Gibbs patted his back.

"Cheers Duck." He called, already half way out the door. Ducky cleared away Ziva's cup and finished his own before getting ready for Tony's visit.


	11. Chapter 11

"Hey, Ducky." Tony murmured as he entered autopsy. Ducky motioned for him to sit on the table while he wheeled the tray containing everything he needed for his hand beside him. "Gibbs, tell ya huh?"

"Jethro mentioned you would be down, yes." Ducky sat on the stall in front of him before examining his hand. "Would you like to talk about what happened?" Tony sighed.

"What's the point? Zi'll already have been down. You probably know everything already. Right?" Ducky smiled, gently cleaning his hand, making the younger man wince slightly.

"I know things from her point of view. I would like to hear your side."

"Ever the diplomat." Tony chuckled half heartedly. "We had an argument; I said…things I shouldn't." He shook his head. "I really hurt her Duck." Tears gathered in his eyes. "Is she okay?"

"She was very tearful." Tony dropped his head. "She was very worried that you actually thought she would ever be unfaithful to you. That really hurt her." Ducky spoke quietly as he carefully bandaged his hand, he hadn't needed stitches. "Do you actually think she could ever be able to do that, let alone want to?" Tony looked up at him in confusion. "How long did it take for her to be able to be intimate with you, Anthony?"

"Three weeks from first kiss to intercourse, but we were engaged and Oscar was on the way before she felt comfortable enough to initiate it." Tony told him.

"Had she told you about two thousand and nine by then?" He asked carefully and Tony nodded. "So do you really think that she could go out and sleep with a stranger? Someone who she didn't trust with her life, who didn't know all about what happened?" Tony's shoulders slumped.

"I've just accused her of being a slut. I'm as bad as him." Head in hands, the tears started to fall. "He told her she was a slut. Every time he… _He _told her that. I am her husband; I am _never _supposed to treat her like that. Make her feel like that man did." Ducky struggled to keep a professional head on as he fastened the bandage and patted the young man's hand.

"Go to her. Go talk to her. Sort this out." Tony smiled at him before jumping off the table and ran to the elevator.

By the time he had reached the bullpen, the tears had stopped and he was presentable. He marched over to his boss' desk.

"Can I borrow Ziva, Gibbs?" Gibbs looked from Ziva to him. She was just about to open her mouth when Gibbs' desk phone rang.

"Yeah Gibbs." He wrote an address down on the pad. "Okay." He looked from one of his agents to the other. "Grab your gear. Body at Norfolk."


	12. Chapter 12

"Ziver, witnesses, DiNozzo, bag and tag, McGee, sketch and shoot." Gibbs handed out the orders and his team got to work. Ziva went to meet Petty Officer Eric Peters, the first person on the scene, while the boys collected evidence and Gibbs spoke to Ducky and Jimmy. Not five minutes after they arrived, gun shots were fired.

"Ziva!" Tony yelled as he turned to face the shooter. He had his hand around her waist and his gun pointed to her head. "Federal Agent: put down your weapon." The tears in his wife's eyes made his heart sink. Before he could move, McGee had joined him, weapon drawn while Gibbs had disappeared behind them. Ziva, meanwhile, stood very still. She knew far too well that any sudden movement would get her killed, leave Oscar without his mother, Tony without his wife. "Put down your weapon Eric or we will shoot you." Tony informed him menacingly. He had barely got the sentence out of his mouth when Peters took off the safety. Gibbs very slowly and without making a sound walked up behind Peters and locked one arm around his neck, and the other hand around his wrist, yanking it skyward. McGee stepped forward and took his gun before Gibbs pushed him to the ground and handcuffed him.

"Are you okay?" McGee asked Ziva gently. She nodded and he pulled her to him. As he held her, Gibbs threw Peters at Tony who threw him into the back of the car with more force than could be called professional.

"Come on." Gibbs urged as he wrapped an arm around Ziva's waist and took her from McGee's embrace. "Ducky's checking you out."

"Gibbs…"

"Not a suggestion David." He growled as he sat her down on the back of the ME van and motioned at Ducky to take a look at her.

Tony, Ziva, and McGee all stood in Observation. Peters had been shoved into Interrogation shortly after arriving at NCIS and had been sat there now for half an hour.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs called as he entered the room. "Go interrogate him." Ziva looked at her boss in shock as Tony entered next door.

"Eric, Eric, Eric." Tony started. "You've been a bad boy now haven't you?" He tutted before placing photos of their victim on the table. "First, you shoot this guy in the head. That wasn't very nice now was it? And then, oh boy, then you decided to take a hostage. A _federal agent _typehostage." Tony dropped the act as he stood up and went to stand behind Peters. "Guess what?" He murmured directly into his ear. "That hostage was my wife." Before anyone had even seen it coming, Tony had his arm around Peters' throat. "You threatened my wife!" He hissed. "You held a gun to my wife's head and threatened to shoot her. I should kill you for that." Gibbs, Ziva and McGee all left Observation at a sprint. Gibbs reached the door first, yanked it open and pulled Tony off their now gasping suspect. "I should kill you!" Tony screamed as McGee and Gibbs pulled him from the room, leaving Ziva to close the door.

After a very stern word from Gibbs in the elevator and a head slap hard enough to make the team worry about brain trauma, Tony re-entered the bullpen to face his wife and colleague.

"What the hell were you thinking, Tony?" Ziva hissed before he had even taken his seat. He opened his mouth to speak but she interrupted before he had a chance. "That is the problem though is it not? You did not think!" Tony sighed.

"Zi…" She held up her hand to shush him.

"Ima, Papa, why are you fighting?" They had been so engrossed in their squabble that they hadn't realised the time or heard the elevator. Jimmy had already gone to pick up the children and bring them to play in the lab. Ziva was on her feet and knelt beside him before Oscar had even finished speaking.

"We are not fighting Sweetie. Papa and I just had a…difference of opinion." She kissed his forehead.

"Take him home, both of you. I don't need to see you for the rest of the day." Gibbs stated gently.

"Are you sure?" He nodded to her and she grabbed her gear before taking Oscar's hand and leading them both to the elevator, past a rather pensive Jimmy, two wary children and the sleeping twins. Tony sighed before following them. He had a feeling this argument was not over.


	13. Chapter 13

Tony had been right. Neither of them had said a word to each other since the bullpen and only the barest they could get away with to a very animated Oscar who was telling them all about his day. Tony slammed the car into park before exiting quickly. Ziva sighed as she exited the passenger seat and made her way to the back to help Oscar out of his car seat.

"See, Ima, you say you're not fighting but you are, aren't you?" The little boy assessed the situation perfectly, as always. Ziva smiled weakly at him as she picked him up and placed him on the ground, shouldering his backpack as she did. "Do you still love each other?

"Oscar, some times, adults argue about things." She explained gently crouching in front of him, balancing her self with both hands on his shoulders. "That does not mean that they do not love each other. Your father and I love each other very much. Okay?" He nodded. "Good boy." She took his hand once she had stood and lead them both through the apartment building.

"Oscar why don't you go play in your room for a while, while Ima and I, talk?" Tony asked, the moment they had joined him in the apartment.

"Okay Papa." Oscar chimed before running off to his room. Ziva put his backpack on the table before putting the kettle on to boil.

"So what now, Zi? You just gonna ignore me?" She turned around suddenly, her eyes piercing a hole into his soul.

"_I do not need defending! You accuse me of being unfaithful and then defend my honour in the space of a few hours? You need to make up your mind!" _She shouted at him in Spanish, if he wasn't already sure that this would be a full blown argument, he was now.

"_Hey, I tried to apologise for that! If we hadn't have been called out we would have had this resolved!"_

"_Your son asked me today if we still loved each other! The son, who we both promised to be good parents to, to give him the childhood we always wanted, and here we are, he has not even started school and we are already arguing in front of him!"_

"_He is in his room!"_

"_He can still hear us! He is not stupid! He knows that we are arguing!" _Tony sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

"_If you hadn't of disobeyed me we wouldn't be arguing!"_

"_Disobeyed? You do not own me Anthony DiNozzo! I am not your property! We are a partnership!"_

"_And when, in this _partnership,_ did we agree that having another child was a good idea? The last time we discussed it I distinctively remember us agreeing that having another child was too dangerous!"_

"_We never agreed to that! You _decided_ that it was too dangerous! I have never shared that opinion!" _Oscar sat in his room and listened as his parents argued. He didn't understand what they were saying but it wasn't hard to miss the anger that the words possessed. He slowly walked out of his room and crept down the hall to the doorway and took his mother's phone from her backpack.

"_Do you really have that much of a death wish? Really Zi?" _His parents were so engrossed in their arguing that they didn't pay attention as he walked back past the kitchen and back into his room.

"_I do not have a death wish! I want a family! Is that so wrong?"_

"_We are a family Ziva! Why can't we be good enough for you?"_

"_How dare you? You are good enough for me! Are you really telling me that you are happy for him to grow up alone?"_

"_Are you really telling me that you're happy for him to grow up without you!" _They were screaming at each other by this point. With tears in his eyes, Oscar unlocked the phone and held down the number four just as his mother had taught him.

"You've reached Abby." The forensic scientist smiled as she answered the phone.

"Auntie Abby?" Oscar asked quietly.

"Oscar, Sweetie, what's wrong?" Automatically going into Auntie-mode, the bounce had come out of her voice and was replaced by concern. Oscar meantime had held the phone out of the door, allowing her to hear the argument that was in full swing down the hall. "They arguing, Bud?"

"Uh huh." He replied tearfully.

"Are you okay? Did you call for a chat or because you want me and Uncle Timmy to pick you up?" Oscar made an indecisive noise before whimpering as his father's volume escalated ever further. "Okay. I'm gonna come pick you up okay, Honey?"

"And McUncle?" Abby smiled.

"Yeah Bud. We'll both come get you okay?" Oscar nodded. "We'll be there soon okay?"

"Okay Auntie Abby. Toda." Oscar hung up the phone while Abby grabbed her keys from her desk and ran upstairs to get McGee.

"_What is your problem? We do not even know for sure yet!"_

"_No, Zi! But we're pretty damn certain that you are! I can't believe this! I can't believe you! How could you do this to us?"_

"_Do what? All I did was get pregnant!"_

"_No, Ziva! You threw away your pill! You could have spoken to me about it but no, you went behind my back and had to get sneaky about it! I can't believe you would have done this! I though we had trust in our relationship! I thought you loved me enough to be honest with me!"_

"_I am honest…"_

"_You told Gibbs before me! I am your husband and you told him before me!"_

"_He is like a father to me Tony!"_

"_So what, you'd tell Eli before me too? If Gibbs hadn't brought my attention to it would you have even told me? Were you actually planning on telling me?"_

"_I would have had to eventually!"_

"_I mean before you were too big to fit in your jeans! I mean when you're supposed to tell your partner! Before you tell everyone else!" _McGee unlocked the door with his spare, emergencies only, key and walked straight past the kitchen, followed quickly by Abby. Neither Tony nor Ziva stopped arguing as they went straight to Oscar's bedroom. Abby knocked on the firmly closed door.

"Oscar, Sweetheart, it's Auntie Abby. Can I come in?" She had barely finished talking when the door swung open and Oscar, clutching his blanket, threw himself at her legs. "Oh, Shhhh. It's okay." She hoisted him onto her hip while McGee went into the room and started to gather some overnight things for him.

"What are you doing?" Ziva shouted as she stormed down the hall towards them. Oscar buried himself into Abby's shoulder. "Oscar?" All the anger dropped from her voice.

"He called me Ziva. He got scared because you were arguing. We're gonna take him to ours for the night. Tony can you get his backpack?" Tony nodded sullenly and retrieved it from the kitchen table before passing it to McGee.

"Oscar, Neshomeleh, there is no need to be frightened. We are not angry with you." Oscar mumbled something in audible into his Aunt's shoulder. "What was that Darling?" He lifted his head slightly.

"I wanna go with Auntie Abby and McUncle." Ziva's heart sank but she nodded all the same.

"Okay. You can go spend the night with them. We shall see you tomorrow night yes? When Auntie Abby brings you back from day-care?" Oscar shrugged and Abby readjusted him on her hip.

"Okay." McGee walked back beside her. "We're all set. Shall we go mate?" Oscar nodded into Abby's shoulder. Abby took him back down to the car while McGee shot Tony and Ziva both a look. "Just because he can't understand the words, doesn't mean he doesn't understand the malice behind them." He then followed his partner out of the apartment, closing the door behind him.


	14. Chapter 14

They had argued long into the evening once Abby had come to take Oscar and when they were both hoarse, Ziva curled up in the rocking chair in Oscar's room while Tony slept in their bed alone. They argued for weeks. Both as stubborn as each other, neither one wanted to back down first. Oscar spent most nights, when he wasn't at Jimmy, McGee or Gibbs' houses, huddled in the corner of his bed, with his blanket over his head, fiddling with his Magen David pedant. It was almost worse once the arguing stopped for the night. With so much tension in the air and little to no support from Tony, Ziva's nightmares became more frequent. She would wake herself screaming but refuse Tony's comfort, leading to only more tension. Both managed, somehow, to keep it out of the office. Aside from the odd snide comment they were civil to each other. But occasionally their masks slipped.

"Abby!" Ziva called over the deafening music. The forensic scientist quickly exited her office, not wanting to rile her up any further.

"Yeah?" Ziva held out a blood sample. Abby took it and stared at it for a moment before putting it to work. "Anything I am looking for specifically?" Abby asked, already having an inkling into what.

"Pregnancy. It is mine." Ziva replied briskly, Abby sighed.

"You and Tony still fighting?" She asked carefully knowing that Ziva could do one of two things: slump, cry and tell her how she just wished she could make it all better or fly off the handlebars. It was the latter.

"I just cannot comprehend why this is such a huge deal for him." She rambled, pacing. "I mean, yes I know how much danger the last birth put me in, but that does not mean that I will be in danger again. Besides, I did not die last time. I do not know why he is so worried." Abby sighed before turning to her computer.

"Because he cares. Abut all _three _of you." Ziva looked up from her rant. "You're pregnant Zi. An ultrasound will confirm it but judging by the hormonal levels I would hazard a guess at about three months." Ziva opened and closed her mouth several times. Had it really been that long? "But you won't be for long if you two keep this level of stress up. Not to mention what it's doing to Oscar." Abby warned her sternly. "You two need to sort. This. Out." Ziva nodded.

"Umm, thank you, Abby." She left without another word and went to meet Gibbs, McGee and Tony in autopsy where they were talking about their latest victim, confirming what they already knew with a small nod.

All four agents walked back into the bullpen only to stop at the entrance. Jimmy was sat against the filing cabinets that ran along the wall behind it, head in hands. Gibbs looked at his agents expectantly, and, after all exchanging glances, Ziva walked forward and sat beside him.

"Are you okay?" She asked gently, crossing her arms and ankles simultaneously. She wasn't watching him, instead she watched as the three men before her sat at their desks, trying to act as if they weren't all listening.

"Not really." Jimmy sighed through his hands. Ziva turned to watch her friend, concern lacing her features.

"What is wrong?" She asked quietly, kindly. "What has happened?" Jimmy ran his hands down his face as his head dropped to the cabinets behind him. "Jimmy?"

"It's Kayla." Ziva sat up a little straighter. "She's…she umm…" She could tell how much he was struggling.

"Is she alright?"

"Not really." Jimmy laughed hollowly. "She can't walk." Ziva looked from Jimmy to the team, as if to make sure she was hearing him right. The look on all of their faces told her she had.

"Did something happen?"

"We realised that Ava had been walking for months and Oscar was walking almost properly by her age and Kayla could barely take a step before falling. So we took her to the doctors and they sent her for scans. There's something wrong with her primary motor cortex, the bit of her brain that controls movement." Ziva nodded, understanding some of what he said at least.

"Do they know why?" The pain on Jimmy's face was undeniable.

"Do you remember the crash?" Ziva nodded slowly, solemnly, memories of the day flooding her mind's eye.

_Breena's due date had arrived and, as he had every morning ever since she was too big to fit behind the wheel, Jimmy was driving her to work. Today, he'd even picked Ziva up as Tony had taken the car to take one year old Oscar to day-care. _

"_I'm fine! I am just bored of being pregnant!" Breena laughed as Jimmy asked for the eighth time in as many minutes._

"_I'm sorry, I'm just very conscious that today is your due date." Jimmy chuckled back, keeping his eyes firmly on the road. Ziva smiled at the exchange bitter sweetly. She had missed out on Tony's frantic 'it's your due date' procedures. "I just wanna make sure that you're okay." He faced his wife with a soft smile. "That you _both _are." From there, everything happened so quickly. The screech of tires filled Ziva's ears and then the world went black. When she woke up several minutes later she was in the back of an ambulance with Tony by her side. She was told that Breena had gone into labour and that both she and Jimmy were currently at the hospital. They had been involved in a head on collision and she had knocked herself out. Jimmy and Breena were unharmed but there were fears for the safety of the baby._

"Well, it led to insufficient blood supply to the brain and…basically she's brain damaged. She can't walk because that part of her brain was damaged as a direct result of that." Ziva's heart broke for him. Tears streamed down his face as he laughed in disbelief. "I disabled my daughter before she was even born."

"You cannot blame your self for what happened Jimmy. It was not your fault, you must not think like that." She gently squeezed his shoulder. "Is it, umm, fixable?" She asked carefully. Jimmy gave her a sad smile and a shake of his head.

"It's not fair." He cried and by this point, Tony had come to join his wife. "Why do you and Abby and McGee get perfect kids while Kayla can't walk? Oscar is intelligent and adorable and perfect. Abby and McGee have Ava and the twins, all of whom are angels. They're all so perfect. Why does Kayla get the bum deal? Why, after everything, does she get dealt this hand? She gets kidnapped and not even four months later we find out that she'll never walk? It just isn't _fair!"_ And suddenly the last few weeks were put into high definition, surround sound clarity. He was right. Oscar _was_ perfect. He was healthy and happy and brilliantly intelligent. What were they really arguing about? Okay, yeah, having this baby was a major and very real risk to Ziva's health, but she was already three months gone and doing far better than she was the last time. She was showing no warning signs what so ever and everything seemed, well: perfect.

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Author's Note-Okay so I have no idea how long the test Abby performed actually takes so I'm using artistic license there. NYLF xx


	15. Chapter 15

Tony sat on the couch, beer in one hand, TV remote in the other, as he had done ever since they had got home. That was how Ziva found him after she had put Oscar down and closed his door.

"Hey." She murmured, coming to join him in the lounge.

"Hey." He replied, taking a sip as he flipped through the channels. She walked around the couch and sat down beside him as he watched her every move. She looked so tired, so drained. She suddenly took both items out of his hands, turned off the TV, and placed them on the coffee table before moving down the sofa and turning away from him. "What's on your mind?" She sighed before lying down, ending with her head in his lap and her hands linked on her chest.

"He is right." She stared up at the ceiling as she spoke softly. "It is not fair." Tony put one hand behind his head and stroked comforting lines on the back of her hand with the other. "She is not even two and a half years old." Ziva closed her eyes.

"You know that she will still be the happiest little girl in the entire world, right? As we left tonight I heard Jimmy talking to Breena about whether Kayla would want a pink or purple wheelchair." Tony chuckled gently. "Fully able or not, she will never want for anything." Ziva sighed. "That's not all this is about, is it?"

"Today just put a lot of things into, perspective for me." She turned to face her husband before opening her eyes. "Can we stop fighting? Please?" He saw the pain in her eyes; he hadn't needed to hear it in her voice. The hand behind his head came down and stroked her hair lovingly.

"Okay." He nodded. "We'll call a truce." She smiled and leaned up to kiss him gently before returning to her original position. "Did Oscar get to sleep alright?"

"Eventually, he kept asking why Uncle Jimmy was sad."

"What did you tell him?"

"That he had had some bad news but not to worry because everything was going to be fine. He is too bright for me to lie to Tony." He softly took one of her hands in his own and played with her fingers while he considered his next topic.

"I'm not starting another argument, so don't get defensive." He warned her. "But I was wondering; if, let's say everything goes to plan and we have another happy, healthy child. If it's a boy, will you still want another? Will you want to keep trying until we have a girl?" Ziva pondered the thought, one she hadn't even thought of yet.

"If we have another boy." She started slowly. "Then, it is meant to be. My plan was for Oscar not to grow up alone. That did not necessarily call for a sister." She smiled up at him cautiously and was relieved to find him smiling back.

"Zi?" He asked carefully.

"Yes?" She asked, suddenly wary of where this was going. Tony sighed.

"You know I love you right? You know that you are the most precious thing that has ever happened to me? That I was only angry because I was scared?" She smiled slowly, lovingly.

"I know that you love me, I know that I am precious to you and I know that you were scared."

"Are you seriously not scared? At all?"

"I…_am_ a little frightened, I have to admit. But Tony, I trust you to keep me safe, just as I trust you to keep our _children_ safe, just as I hope you trust me." He nodded emphatically. "So, while I am scared, I know that whatever will be, will be and that you will _always_ have my back. _All _of our backs."


	16. Chapter 16

Once the arguing was over, and they had assured the entire family, especially Oscar, that it _was _indeed over, things settled down. The team stopped having to buffer Oscar from what was going on at home, stopping stress on all sorts of levels. The de-stressed atmosphere also allowed Tony to start to get used to the idea that he was going to be a dad again.

"Okay, Ziva. This is going to be a bit cold." The very smiley sonographer informed her as she placed the ultrasound gel low down on her abdomen. "Okay, just a moment." Ziva looked up at Tony as he stared at the screen. This had been the scariest moment when she was pregnant the first time and, judging by the look on his face, that hadn't changed for either of them. The picture appeared on the screen and tears appeared in his eyes. Before them sat a perfectly formed baby that, unlike Oscar's first ultrasound, actually looked like a baby.

"Hey." Ziva whispered, nudging his knee gently. He tore his eyes away from the screen. "DiNozzo men do not cry, remember?" She smiled.

"This one does." He smiled tearfully, taking her hand as they both watched the screen.

"Happy tears, right?" She asked apprehensively, in a hushed tone. He squeezed her hand.

"Happy tears." He confirmed.

"Okay. Well it looks like baby is growing very well. Everything seems healthy." The sonographer informed them and they both let out a breath they weren't aware they were holding. "That right there." She pointed to a tiny fluttering point with the end of her pen. "That's baby's heart beating."

"Oh." Ziva gasped in complete awe. Tony kissed his wife's forehead.

"That's our baby Zi." He muttered, too humbled to say anything else. The sonographer smiled at them.

"Okay, so I've written down all the measurements and baby is growing very well. At this point in time, you have absolutely _nothing _to worry about." The biggest smile possible erupted on both Tony and Ziva's faces as they faced each other before turning back. "Okay, so I'll leave you to it for just a moment." She smiled before rising and leaving.

"Absolutely _nothing _to worry about." Ziva repeated leaning more fully into the bed and running her hands through her hair. "Did you hear her? Absolutely _nothing _to worry about." Tony smiled at her as she laughed in sheer relief. He walked around her, tore off a paper towel and carefully removed the gel from her pelvis.

"I heard her baby." He kissed the tiny swell, which had just started to develop, above her jeans before returning to her side and kissing her gently. "Absolutely _nothing _to worry about."

Once they had collected the photographic evidence of their child's perfect development, they were on their way back to work.

Ziva leant back against the elevator with the mile wide smile that hadn't left her face for even a moment.

"Any time you wanna stop grinning like a deranged person, feel free." Tony laughed. Ziva turned to him and smiled wider, making him laugh harder. "I love you!" He chuckled as he swept her into his arms, one hand behind her head, the other behind her back and dipped her until her ponytail brushed the floor before kissing her passionately, just as the elevator doors opened revealing Gibbs, who merely rose and dropped his eyebrow and continued on his way while the couple got back to an appropriate distance apart for the office and tried not to laugh. "You're gonna get me in trouble one of these days Zi." Tony chuckled as Ziva pulled a highly incredulous face at him, pointing at herself.

"Me? You were the one who…" Tony smirked at her and she glared half-heartedly. "Oh I give up." She shook her head, smiling, as she exited the elevator and went to her desk.

Ziva gazed, mesmerised, at the pictures on her desk. Sat in chronological order there was: one of the team, not long after she had come back from Israel and Tony had come back to dry land; one of their wedding day, when she wasn't grimacing with the pain of contractions; one of her, Tony and Oscar in his first couple of days, him still laid in his incubator; Gibbs' first cuddle, there was also a copy of that one in Oscar's room; one of Oscar on his third birthday, sat in between Kayla and Ava with the twins either side of the girls; and now the newest one, sat pride of place beside her computer, the scan picture. Tony watched his wife with fascination. He had never seen her so at peace. He also noticed, though he doubted she had, that she was gently stroking her tiny newly formed baby bump with one hand. She knew that he was watching her, that much he was sure of, but she never seemed to mind anymore.

"What are you thinking?" Tony asked quietly, if he had to break her out of her trance he knew it wasn't a good idea to startle her. She looked up at him before looking around the bullpen and finding it empty. She looked at him questioningly, pointing from one empty desk to the other. "McGee's with Abs, Gibbs with Ducky." He smiled. "What are you thinking?" She smiled shyly.

"I was thinking about how much my life has changed."

"For the better?"

"Definitely." She nodded. "Just look at where I was, where we both were, when we met. You were a know it all playboy, thinking that you could have any woman as your God given right." She saw he was about to protest so she continued. "At least, that's what you let everybody think." He nodded in agreement. "And I was…a machine. I was not living I was just alive." She dropped her gaze to her wedding band as she twirled it around her finger. "You brought me to life." Tony smiled warmly at her before getting up to crouch beside her. He turned her chair to face him and took both of her hands in his.

"We brought each other to life, my darling. I couldn't do this without you." He kissed both her hands as she smiled.


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note-This chapter kicked my backside! I hope it's okay, I just couldn't wait to finish it by the end. I will warn you that this chapter is majorly fluffy. If you want to see Kayla's wheelchair, there will be a link on my profile. Enjoy NYLF xx

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"Kayla! Slow down!" Jimmy called and Ziva cracked open one eye to watch him try to catch up with the nearly two and a half year old. She had just received her bright pink 'powered by fairy dust' automatic wheelchair and was taking it for a test drive. The top speed was only four miles an hour but it was still fast enough to allow her to elude her father. Ziva couldn't help but smile as she listened to the little girl laugh gleefully about how well she was winning her game of tag with her family. Breena and Jimmy chased after her with huge smiles while McGee and Abby were trying hard to not fall about laughing as Kayla zoomed out of their reach once again, the sound of her joyous giggling filling the un-crowded park.

The whole team had the weekend off and had decided that, seeing as Kayla needed flat surfaces to test out her technique, they should all have a picnic in the park. Ziva's white tank top was nicely showing off her neat four month baby bump as she soaked up the deep August heat. Gibbs sat beside her, keeping a cautious eye on the sun cream slathered ten month old twins, chasing after them whenever they decided to crawl too far, while intermittently observing Oscar and Ava playing in the play-park with Tony. He smiled broadly as Kayla sped up and down the path, pausing every now and then to wave at him and Ziva before taking off again.

"She's getting good at that." Gibbs chuckled. Ziva looked over at him and smiled before leaning over and turning Isla around so she could keep crawling without going too far.

"She should be; she has done nothing but play for hours now." Gibbs smiled, tickling Ethan's feet making the little boy sat next to him giggle.

"I can't believe how well they're handling it." Ziva pushed her sunglasses onto her head before facing him more fully. "I don't think I would be so calm if I had just found out Kelly would never walk." Ziva smiled softly, before turning to face her niece.

"Look, look Auntie Zi'a!" Kayla shouted; she still hadn't mastered the 'V' in her name.

"Wow Kayla! You just be careful." Kayla nodded enthusiastically before dodging her mother expertly. Ziva turned back to Gibbs. "He is making the best of a bad situation yes? There is no point brooding over something you cannot change." She picked up Isla and gently kissed her forehead before placing her back on the ground in front of her brother. "But can you honestly say that Kayla is suffering in anyway?" Gibbs watched her zigzag her way through her family, giggling madly as she did. He couldn't help but smile.

"No. I don't think I've ever seen her happier." Ziva nodded in agreement. "Talking of which, you haven't stopped smiling in a month." Ziva dropped her gaze to her wedding band, shy all of a sudden.

"I am happy Gibbs. My husband loves me, my child is happy and healthy, and we have another baby on the way…" She sighed contentedly. "Everything is finally going right." Gibbs smiled gently.

"We all love you too." Ziva smiled.

"I know." Ziva looked over at Tony just as he was lifting Ava up to the monkey bars while Oscar sat on his shoulders. She smiled; his way with children really was something she admired. She was just about to look away when she suddenly felt a fluttering low down on the left side of her bump. She gasped.

"What's up?" He asked, slightly concerned but he matched her smile none the less.

"I can feel the baby." Gibbs' smile doubled.

"Can I feel? Do you mind?" He asked carefully. Ziva shook her head as she took his hand and pressed it into her bump. There it was; a small gentle fluttering beneath his fingertips. "I'll go swap places with Tony. He should be here for this." He smiled as he got up and jogged over to his senior field agent. After the shortest conversation she'd ever seen them have, and that was saying something, Tony put Ava and Oscar on the ground before jogging over to his wife, sitting beside her.

"Gibbs said you needed me. Well technically all he said was your name and then motioned at me to come over but still." Ziva chuckled, taking his hand in her own and placing it exactly where her boss' had been just moments before. "Oh, wow." He breathed as the fluttering quickened before stopping. The couple smiled at each other. "I love you, and I love her." His smile faltered just a touch when Ziva looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"Her, Tony? Do you know something I do not?" Tony shook his head as he laughed gently.

"No, Zi. I just have a gut feeling."

"You said that Oscar would be a girl." She reminded him.

"Yeah, but I'm more sure that this one will be a girl." She shook her head before kissing him.

"Eww!" They heard the grimace behind them and both rolled their eyes as they broke apart.

"Hello Kayla." Tony greeted, leaning to look at her over his wife's shoulder.

"Uncle Tony, Uncle Tony look!" She chanted adorably. "I can go really fast!" Tony chuckled.

"I know, I saw!" He returned wide-eyed and excitable. "You must be really careful though okay Angel?"

"'Kay." She sped off giggling while Abby and McGee collapsed beside Tony and Ziva on the picnic blanket.

"Wow that girl is fast!" McGee panted before placing kisses on both of the twins' heads, both of whom were chanting nonsense at each other, imitating a conversation. Tony chuckled.

"That thing goes about four miles an hour McSlow."

"Could you keep up with her?" McGee asked incredulously as Abby and Ziva both rolled their eyes and shook their heads.

"No, but I wasn't trying. I was busy." He smiled at Ziva who returned it shyly.

"Oh? What's up? What happened? We missed something didn't we? Was it something cool?" Abby babbled, much to the other three's amusement.

"The baby moved." Ziva informed them with a shy smile. She still wasn't used to sharing everything about what was happening, despite this being her second time.

"Oh wow! My niece is officially moving! I am so proud!" Ziva sighed. "What?"

"At least you agree this time." She elaborated as confusion spread across Abby's face. "Tony thinks we're having a girl, has a gut feeling apparently."


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Note-You have been right royally spoilt over the last few days and I have officially run out of pre-written chapters. I'm not complaining, just warning you that until I can bulk up how many chapters I have written in advance, you may have to wait a little while in between while I write them. But seriously not complaining. Actually I cannot thank you all enough for the amazing response to this and continued support. Thank you very much. NYLF xx

* * *

Ziva walked into the bullpen with a spring in her step. She'd had a glorious weekend. After their picnic was over and everyone had gone home, Tony had put Oscar down for an early night and treated her to a romantic meal, a celebration of their baby's first movements. She sat at her desk, put her cell, gun and badge into the top draw and booted up her computer, then and only then did she look around her. Tony had taken Oscar to day-care, his teacher had called at seven to ask if he could, Ziva would ask when he got in as to why, but no one else was in either. Ziva narrowed her eyes slightly before taking out her cell. It buzzed the moment she picked it up.

"David." She answered.

"Hey, Ziva. I'm stuck in traffic. Abs took the kids in and left before me though, so she should be there soon if she isn't already." McGee explained. "Can you let Gibbs know?"

"He is not here either. I am sat here on my own." Ziva replied, irritation prevalent in her voice. She heard him gulp down the line. "Sorry, it is not your fault. I shall tell Gibbs when he arrives."

"Tell Gibbs what?" The man himself asked. She jumped and turned to face him where he was leant against the partition beside her. She hung up the phone before addressing him.

"That McGee is stuck in traffic, must you always do that?" Gibbs smiled his signature smile at her before putting a smoothie in front of her and sitting at his desk. He turned on his computer before noticing that she was looking at him funny.

"What's up David?" She looked from him to the drink and back. "You can't drink coffee." He shrugged as if it were obvious. Ziva eyed him suspiciously before taking the drink and sipping it. The shock registered on her face before the smile.

"Is this Berry Mango Madness?" Gibbs nodded, reading a memo left for him at the same time. "Gibbs, no where around you sells them. You must have gone, four maybe even five miles out of your way to get this for me."

"Six and a half." He smiled. Ziva looked at him curiously.

"Thank you." She smiled and he nodded as he picked up his ringing desk phone.

"Yeah, okay. Gear up." He looked around the bullpen before registering that Ziva was still the only one there. "Okay, just us then." He wrote an address down on a post it note and passed it to her. "Get that to Tony and McGee; tell them both to meet us there. Duck and Jimmy too." She nodded and started texting while following him into the elevator.

They arrived at the crime scene, a small converted barn, about half an hours drive out of the city, so it had taken Gibbs twenty minutes, it would have been ten if Ziva hadn't been carrying his next grandchild. They were just getting their gear out of the car when Jimmy and Tony pulled up along side each other. Tony exited his car, grabbing his gear in the process and kissed Ziva's cheek as he stood beside them both.

"What happened at the day-care?" Ziva asked, pulling her hair into a bun.

"We'll talk about it later. I got a text from McGee boss; he says he's about twenty minutes away from the exit. He'll be here ASAP." Gibbs nodded before going to greet the medical examiner and grab his bag from the back of the truck.

"What we got Duck?" Gibbs asked several minutes later, crouching down beside him.

"Caucasian male, mid to late twenties, single puncture wound to the abdomen, he would have bled out in a matter of minutes." Gibbs looked around him, there was no blood. "Well, yes, the lack of blood surrounding the body suggests that our lieutenant was not killed here."

"Federal Agent, hands where I can see them." All three agents looked at each other before rushing from the room and down the stairs.

"That was McGee." Ziva said as they ran through the house to the back yard, Sigs drawn. They found McGee handcuffing a man, who couldn't have been much older than Abby. McGee nodded at his boss.

"Pool of blood, knife, suspect and confession. That would be game set and match don't ya think?" Gibbs smiled while his other two agents' jaws his the floor.

"What? You arrive and wrap up the case within two seconds? That is so not fair!" Ziva chuckled as she threaded her arm through his and pulled him away.

"Come on; let's go get all the evidence into the car. This may have just been our easiest case yet."

Ziva was just putting the last box of evidence into the back of the charger when she turned to face Tony.

"Does now count as later?" She asked suddenly, throwing him off slightly before he realised to what she was referring. He smiled at her but she saw the concern and worry that had been present in his eyes since his arrival less than an hour ago.

"Oscar's teacher's worried about him." Ziva felt a sharp stab of protectiveness deep in the pit of her stomach.

"Why?" Tony sighed and Ziva's worry increased tenfold.

"He keeps having nightmares. Every time they put him down for a nap, he wakes up crying." Ziva sat on the edge of the backseat.

"Because of our arguing?" Tony shrugged. "Or because I keep waking him up screaming?" Tony immediately knelt in front of her and engulfed her in a hug.

"You can't blame your self for this Darling. It isn't your fault." She took a deep breath into his shoulder. "We need to talk to him, tonight." She nodded.

"I am trying to get them under control, I promise." She sounded so disappointed in herself that it made his heart hurt.

"I know, Honey, I know."


	19. Chapter 19

The team had actually left work at a normal hour. The man McGee had arrested had in fact killed their lieutenant and all of the evidence supported this-he had moved the body because he thought he was too cold. Ziva had been right-their easiest case yet. This had meant that both Tony and Ziva could go and collect Oscar from the lab to go home, something that was very rare indeed.

Tony cradled the small boy in his arms while Ziva unlocked the apartment and let them all in. He carefully went into the lounge and sat on the couch while Ziva relocked the door before coming to join them.

"Oscar, Motek, Papa spoke to your teacher today." Ziva spoke softly to him as he sat on his father's lap and leant into his chest.

"Am I in t'ouble?" Oscar asked, lack of sleep slurring his speech slightly. Ziva shook her head.

"Nah, you're not in trouble Osc." Tony assured him, leaning down to rest his chin on the top of his head. Ziva smiled gently.

"She told us about your bad dreams." Oscar looked slightly embarrassed, something that didn't go unnoticed by his mother. "They are nothing to be embarrassed about, they are perfectly normal. Even Ima has them sometimes."

"I know." He murmured, refusing to meet his mother's eye. "I hear you cry Ima." Ziva took a deep breath, she'd dreaded this bit.

"Is that why you are having bad dreams? Because my bad dreams scare you?" Oscar shrugged. She picked him up off of Tony's lap and rocked him in her arms. "Oh baby, I am sorry. I do not mean to frighten you." She kissed his curls, closing her eyes as a single tear tracked down her cheek. Tony suddenly had an idea and rushed off to the nursery.

"Hey, Oscar?" He crouched beside his wife as his son watched him curiously. He held up Oscar's blanket from his Great Aunt Nettie. "When I was little, I had a blanket just like this. It was knitted for me by _my _Great Auntie. My mom told me that when ever I got frightened, all I had to do was snuggle up with it. Do you know why?" He shook his head. Tony smiled at Ziva. "Because, blankets that are knitted by Great Aunties have special powers." He whispered to him and Oscar's eyes widened in wonderment as he stared at the blanket. "Now, it can't make you fly, or become invisible, but this blanket is very special. You wanna know what it can do?" The little boy nodded fervently. "What do you think Ima? Shall I tell him?" Oscar looked up at her.

"Please Ima. Bevakasha?" Ziva smiled at his pronunciation before winking at him.

"I think that would be okay Papa." She played along despite having no idea where he was going with this.

"Okay." He leaned in dramatically and whispered into his ear, more than loud enough for Ziva to hear. "It…fights…monsters."

"Wow, really?" Oscar asked, fascinated by his father's tale. Tony nodded and Ziva joined in, as if she'd known all along, when Oscar looked up at her for confirmation.

"So, the next time you get scared, you snuggle in close to this and all the monsters, all the bad thoughts, all the scary things that frighten you, they'll all be fought away and not frighten you anymore. Then you can sleep because there will be nothing scary. Okay?" For the first time Oscar looked slightly sceptical.

"Are you sure?" He asked innocently.

"I'm sure Osc." Tony nodded solemnly. "I promise, it will fight away all the bad things." He placed the blanket into Oscar's hand before taking him off Ziva's lap. "Shall we go try it out?" Oscar nodded sleepily. "Okay bud. Say nun-night to Ima." Ziva stood up and kissed his cheek.

"Lailah Tov, Neshomeleh."

"Lailah Tov, Ima." Tony smiled gently before taking him to the nursery and tucking him in.

"Buonanotte, mio figlio."

"Buonanotte, Papa." Tony kissed his forehead before switching on the nightlight and pulling the door shut.

"You are so perfect." Ziva smiled as he sat beside her and she snuggled into his side. "Was any of that actually true?" He smiled down at her.

"The blanket really does fight monsters." She chuckled. "And my mum really did say that but she knitted the blanket. I don't think I even _have_ a Great Aunt." Ziva kissed him softly, lovingly, before slipping her arm around his waist.

"Do you think it will stop the nightmares?" He looked down at her before hugging her closer.

"Only time will tell. You know you mustn't blame yourself right?" She nodded. "Zi?"

"I know I must not, it does not stop me feeling like it is, just a little maybe. I vowed to protect him from the horrors we have seen, that _I_ have seen." Tony pulled her on to his lap and kissed her neck as she leant into his chest and his hands linked around her bump.

"And you do, we both do. You cannot stop your nightmares Zi. But we can protect him from what's inside them. And, when he's a bit older, we will explain at least some of why you have them. I'm not talking details. Just a rough overview. I'm pretty sure you don't wanna hide it from him, anymore than you want to tell him everything?" She shook her head against him. "Right, so we'll decide on what to tell him when he starts asking about them. Are you hungry?"

"A little." She sighed.

"How about you go have a warm bubble bath and I'll start dinner?"

"Okay." She got up before leaning down and kissing him passionately. "Toda."

"What for Zi?" She cupped his cheek and kissed him again.

"For being you." She whispered against his lips. He smiled.

"Well then." He kissed her. "Ein Be'ad Ma." She chuckled.

"You are getting much better." He smiled and kissed her once more.

"Go on, go get in the bath." She chuckled before leaving for the bathroom. Tony watched her go before running his hands through his hair, sighing and wondering what on earth he could have done to be so lucky as to have the three of them.


	20. Chapter 20

Ziva woke up two and a half months later with a backache that had gone on for three days now. She groaned before sitting up, waking Tony in the process.

"Still hurts?" He asked sleepily.

"Yes." She snapped before sighing. "Sorry." He sat up behind her and pressed his warm hands into the bottom of her back.

"Don't worry about it." He gently moved his fingers in an attempt to massage the pain away. "Are you gonna be okay to work?" She'd spent the whole weekend only being able to sit, stand or lay down for a few minutes at a time before having to change position. The thought of her being sat at her desk for anywhere from nine hours upwards worried him. She nodded. "Gibbs isn't going to mind."

"I know. I will be fine. I just may have to work stood up." She chuckled. "What time is it?" Tony looked over at the clock.

"Five fifteen." Ziva cursed under her breath.

"I did not mean to wake you." He kissed her shoulder.

"Don't fret. I'd rather you wake me up than suffer in silence Zi." His gentle ministrations seemed to relieve the ache at least a little bit. "Better?"

"A little, thank you." She sighed and rested her head in her hands. He sat beside her.

"What's on your mind?" She looked up at him, fear singing in her eyes.

"In two weeks, I shall be seven months pregnant." Tony nodded.

"Yup."

"I gave birth at seven months." Tony nodded again.

"Yeah, I know, I was there." She smiled weakly. "You have nothing to be afraid of." He gently lifted her head so her eyes met his. "If it happens, it happens. We got through it last time, we can do it again." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Now, do you think you'll get back to sleep?" Ziva shook her head. She'd been up every twenty minutes, needing the bathroom anyway- the baby was currently using her bladder as a trampoline- and was woken up by back pain at least once in each set of twenty minutes. She was now bored of trying to sleep. "Okay. I vote group shower before we have breakfast together." She chuckled. "Then we'll wake the little one and get him ready?"

"Sounds good. But you will have to be a gentleman in the shower Anthony DiNozzo-David. Just because my cup size has grown does not mean they are to play with." He smiled.

"I know. I'll behave. I promise." He crossed his heart before kissing her and helping her to her feet.

They had been the first to arrive, a huge shock to the other half of the MCRT and now, several hours later, were the only ones left in the bullpen. Tony typed with one hand as he held the phone to his ear with the other. He heard Ziva groan and she instantly drew his full attention.

"What's up Ninja? You back still hurting?" He asked, holding the phone into his shoulder. She nodded. "Anything I can do to help?" She shook her head as she stood and rested both forearms on her desk, swinging her hips slightly from side to side and taking deep breaths. With that, Tony ended his call and came to stand beside her. "Baby? Would laying down help?"

"I do not think so." She winced before emitting a very quiet, "Ow." Tony moved to his desk before picking up his still-to-hot-to-drink coffee and held it in both hands for several moments before coming back to stand behind her. He lifted the bottom of her shirt up to the middle of her back and placed both of his very warm hands directly above her waistband. She hummed gently.

"Better? Even just a little wincey bit?" She nodded as her head fell between her arms. Tony started to slide his hands around to her hips and back again while she sighed in appreciation.

"What _are_ you two doing?" Gibbs asked, rather shocked to find them where they were while McGee quickly slipped into his seat. Neither even jumped. Ziva lifted her head up and smiled at him.

"My back is murdering me. Tony is trying to soothe it."

"Killing." Tony murmured.

"Yeah, that one." She agreed with a soft wince.

"Would going home help? Or lying down?" Gibbs offered carefully.

"I've already tried that boss. She's having none of it." Ziva sighed.

"Being at home does not ease my back. At least here I can try and do something productive." Gibbs whipped out his cell and held down a number.

"Do you still have that hot water bottle? Can you fill it and bring it upstairs for me? Cheers Abs." Gibbs closed the cell and sat at his desk. Tony mouthed a thank you at him to which he nodded. Tony's desk phone rang, probably the person he had hung up on while he was on hold.

"You gonna be okay if I get that?" He asked Ziva softly.

"Mhmm." She winced gently and Tony's hands left her as he went to his desk.

Several minutes later, Abby bounded across the bull pen and smiled at McGee before coming to stand beside Gibbs' desk.

"Hot water bottle as requested Sir." She saluted with the hand that wasn't holding onto her hot water bottle, sporting a Caf-Pow logo motif. Gibbs pointed at Ziva, who had perched on the edge of her chair, rolling her head on her desk by this point. "Ah." Abby smiled and crossed the short distance to her desk. "Back bad?" Ziva nodded against her desk. "Here, this should help." She put the bottle against the back of the chair before placing a caring but firm hand onto her shoulder and made her sit against it. "How's that?" Ziva shifted slightly before her face calmed.

"Thank you Abby. I owe you one." Abby smiled.

"Not at all. My back felt like it was on fire with the twins. That was the only thing that helped. Try to feel better okay?" Ziva nodded and Abby bounced back to the elevator and to the lab just as Gibbs' phone rang.

"Yeah, Gibbs." He murmured a few times before writing down an address and hanging up. "Gear up. Dead Petty Officer." He announced and Tony and McGee both grabbed their gear.

"Gibbs? Umm, can I…" Ziva started to ask quietly before Gibbs interrupted her.

"You wanna stay here?" She nodded, receiving an incredulous look from McGee but no one else. "Course. If you need Tony, phone him, don't hesitate." She nodded and he smiled quickly at her, something she reciprocated, before passing her with McGee in tow.

"We'll be back soon. Feel better Ninja." Tony kissed her quickly before following the other two into the elevator.


	21. Chapter 21

"Who were you on the phone to?" McGee asked as he photographically documented their crime scene. Tony didn't stop sketching but a fully fledged smile blossomed on his face.

"I think I should tell Zi first." McGee nodded as he took his last photo and started to bag and tag the evidence.

"Well, then it's got to be important. Did you get framed again?" McGee asked with a smile.

"No." Tony chuckled, putting his notepad back into his backpack and started to help his partner. "Can you keep it to yourself, McBlabbermouth?"

"I'm not gonna tell anyone before you tell Ziva, that wouldn't be fair." McGee reasoned and Tony looked at him with something akin to brotherly love.

"I've just brought us a house." Tony's smile grew and McGee matched it.

"That's amazing." Gibbs entered the room and regarded his man down team with a strange look.

"You're processing the scene of a pregnant woman beaten to death in her own home, while her daughters were upstairs and you're discussing something that's 'amazing'?" Both men looked suitably apologetic. "Are you finished gossiping?" They both nodded.

"Yes Gibbs." They chorused.

"Good. Tony go help Ducky get the gurney; Jimmy's taken Kayla to the doctors. McGee: finish processing, and then take the husband back. He's sat in the car." Gibbs left the room, sipping his coffee as he went. He couldn't let them become numb to their work, they had to care to do it right.

Once the evidence had been collected, and dropped off to Abby, Tony collected Ziva from the bullpen to take her down to Observation, filling her in on the case as he did.

"Ziver? Do you think you're up to interrogating him?" Gibbs asked as he entered the room.

"Sure, why me Gibbs?" He passed her the case file.

"Because I have a feeling he'll respond to you better than us." She nodded and, after Tony had opened both doors for her, she walked into the Interrogation Room, introduced herself, and leant against the mirror; her back still unable to take sitting down.

"How far along are you?" Their victim's husband, Harry, asked, smiling. Ziva looked down at her bump, still not used to people asking.

"Six and a half months." Harry smiled again.

"First?"

"Second." He was obviously waiting for her to continue. When she didn't he sat up slightly straighter.

"You married?" Ziva held up her left hand for him to see.

"Happily so." She smiled gently.

"This case must be pretty tough then huh?"

"How so?"

"Wife's murdered, just over the half way mark, daughters upstairs, husband is the prime suspect. Little close to home Agent David?" Ziva shook her head.

"You know, it is customary for me to ask the questions." He chuckled.

"Yeah, you're right. You wanna know if I killed Julia?"

"That would not be my first question, but yes, that is my ultimate aim."

"What would be your first question?" Ziva closed the gap slightly to lean her forearms on the chair in front of her.

"Where were you last night, between midnight and three the next morning?" She placed the folder she was holding down between them.

"That when she was…" He cleared his throat and broke eye contact. "When she died?"

"Our Medical Examiner has determined this to be our timeframe yes."

"Julia and I went to bed around ten, the girls were already asleep. She woke up around half eleven, craving ice apparently." He chuckled sadly. "We didn't have any, maybe if we had, she wouldn't have been…"

"Carry on." Ziva prompted gently.

"I drove around for at least two hours, looking for a store that was still open. I found ice and texted Jules to let her know I was on my way back. When I got there the door was open. I found my wife, covered in blood." Tears streamed down Harry's face. Ziva sat down for the first time in the interview and had a sudden urge to take his hand, she ignored it. "How old?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your eldest, how old?" Ziva was slightly taken aback but followed the inquiry.

"Three and a half." Harry smiled.

"Boy or girl?"

"Boy." He chuckled gently.

"This one was going to be a boy. We always wanted a boy." He sighed sadly. "I didn't kill my wife, Agent David. I…I couldn't."

"I believe him." Ziva stated, joining Gibbs in Observation.

"Yeah, me too." He sighed.

"What now then?" He looked at his watch before addressing her.

"What time do the kids need to be picked up?"

"Three, Jimmy is bringing them." He nodded just as Tony entered the room.

"Hey, I went to check our guy's story. Turns out he stopped to get gas on the way back, we caught him on tape, hundred miles away at zero one thirty boss."

"His story checks out then yes? He could not have done it?"

"Not unless he drives like you." Tony smiled. "How's your back?"

"Sore." Ziva replied, absentmindedly rubbing her lower back.

"Okay, DiNozzo check her phone records; see who she was in contact with the night she died. Get McGee to go help Abby, put a rush on that evidence. Ziver?"

"Yes Gibbs?"

"Go lie down in the break room." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I am fine Gibbs, I would rather be working." He rubbed her arm gently.

"Okay, get in touch with the people she was close to on base, see if anyone can think of any reason as to why she was killed." Both agents left the room while Gibbs stared at the man sat across from him.

"Hey, found anyone of interest yet?" Tony asked, placing a smoothie on Ziva's desk before sitting at his own. Ziva sighed and rolled her neck.

"Not yet. I have lost count on how many phone calls I have made in the last hour and have found no one that has any idea why she was killed. You?" Tony shook his head.

"Turns out, apart from the text from her husband, which corresponds to when he said he text her, she wasn't in contact with _anyone _the night she died or for three weeks before it. Where are her kids?" Tony had only just realised that he hadn't seen them at all.

"They are with a maternal aunt apparently." Ziva replied, flicking through paperwork on her desk while sipping her drink. "They are only young. Allison is six and Samantha is, she is Oscar's age." Tony looked up as Ziva let out a defeated sigh.

"If this get's too close you have to let us know." He warned gently. She nodded. "Come on." He got up and grabbed his jacket and cell, before standing and helping her up.

"Where are we going?" She asked as he helped her slip on her jacket.

"We're going for a walk. You need a break." He quickly scribbled a note on Gibbs' jotter before taking his wife's hand.

"You know, I've been thinking." Tony started slowly. They'd been walking around the park for the last ten minutes in silence and he had finally conjured up the courage to broach the subject. She turned to him. "Where are we gonna put that baby?"

"Hmm, well I suppose she could stay in with us for a while. Then maybe share with Oscar?" Tony smiled at the use of 'she'. Ever since their picnic, Ziva was coming around to the idea that she ideally wanted a girl. They still hadn't found out the sex but were finding themselves more and more calling them 'she'.

"Hmm, yeah. But I think Oscar will have enough change to deal with, without having to share his room too." Ziva mulled this over.

"We could clear out the spare room?" Tony pretended to think about it.

"We'd have to get rid of the piano." Ziva sighed.

"Then I am out of ideas." Tony smiled.

"I'm not." She looked up at him sharply. "Come here." He sat them both on a nearby bench and looked her in the eye, taking both of her hands in his. "I have a surprise, but you have to promise not to get mad that I didn't discuss it with you first." Her eyes narrowed at him.

"Okay?" He took a deep breath.

"I've been thinking about this for a while. So I tapped into the Paddington fortune, just a little." She was still looking at him funny. He laughed nervously. "I brought us a house, Zi." Her jaw hit the floor. "It was a very reasonable deal. It's this gorgeous little place, not far from anyone at all. Twenty minute drive one way to Abby and McGee, the other to Jimmy and Breena, half an hour to Gibbs and fifteen minutes from the Navy Yard. And that's my driving not yours. So if you drive it'll be even quicker. It's got three bedrooms and a study that's big enough for the piano and all our other crap. The kitchen is brand new and top of the line, you'll love it. It's got a cute little back yard…" Ziva held up her hand to stop his babbling.

"You…brought us a house?" She asked slowly, and Tony suddenly got very nervous.

"Yeah." He started to nervously play with his wedding band, a trait he'd picked up from her. She sat back fully and laced her hands around her bump. "Zi…say something."

"You…brought us a house?" Tony sighed and laughed apprehensively.

"Say something else." A small smile blossomed on her face, quickly growing into a full blown grin.

"You did that for me?" She turned to face him with watery eyes. "For us?" He leant in and captured her lips gently.

"Uh huh." He murmured against her.

"Have I told you today that I love you?" She laughed.

"Nuh huh." She kissed him.

"I love you." She smiled.

"I love you too." He laughed as he pulled back. "Come on." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Gibbs'll wonder where we've gotten to."


	22. Chapter 22

The two of them walked back into the bullpen hand in hand, Ziva's smile still hadn't faded, eliciting a small smile from McGee. He looked at Tony questioningly and he nodded ever so slightly, doubling the size of the smile. Gibbs didn't even look up as his agents took their seats.

"Ducky says that some of Julia's bruising is a few days or even weeks old."

"You think she was abused Gibbs?" Tony asked, already pulling up her medical records.

"Tony, did you not say that she had not contacted anyone for three weeks prior to her death?" Ziva asked suddenly and Tony sighed.

"Classic sign of control. Okay, umm." He scrolled through the document on his screen before whistling in amazement. "She's been to the ER with miscarriage scares three times in the last fortnight. Every time she said, she said she'd fallen down the stairs." Gibbs gritted his teeth.

"Ziver, you are not to go back into Interrogation. Okay?" She nodded. "Good. I'm going to go _talk _to him." Ziva shook her head as she watched him leave.

"He made him believe him. I will say this; he is one fantastic actor." Tony smiled sadly.

"Most abusers are."

"What did you like most about beating up your pregnant wife?" Gibbs asked as he burst into the room. Harry turned to face him with a smile.

"I see you've seen her medical records." He shook his head. "She was always falling down those stairs."

"Tell me, did you ever beat your wife in front of your daughters? Did you ever hit them?" The smile dropped from his face, as if he'd only just realised his story was falling apart before his eyes.

"My daughters didn't know. Jules just wasn't very good at keeping her mouth shut, or her legs. The baby wasn't mine Agent Gibbs. She told me. The night she died she told me that the baby wasn't mine and I lost it. I hit her. I didn't know she was dead when I left. I just went for a drive, to clear my head you know. I came to my senses and text her, saying that I was on my way back. When I got there, she was dead and I panicked." Gibbs glared at him, before standing and leaving the room. He changed his mind just outside though and stormed back in, slamming his hands down on the table, right next to him.

"There is never an excuse to hurt the ones you love. Not only are you a scum of the earth abusive bastard, you made me believe you. You made Agent David believe you. Bad move." He hissed the last sentence before leaving again. He needed coffee.

After several minutes of decompression and processing, the team were able to work through the paper work of the case without throwing disgusted glares at it every time his name was mentioned. Ziva was still in pain, but was now covering it better, though she couldn't hide it from her husband's inquisitive eyes.

"Why do you think your back hurts so much all of a sudden then?" She looked up slowly.

"I do not know. Back pain is not uncommon." She supplied, signing the sheet in front of her before putting it to one side.

"No. But nothing about you is common so I thought I'd ask." He replied with a smile, one she returned.

"So. When do I get to see our new home?" Gibbs looked up sharply; he was yet to be told of this development. Ziva noticed his reaction. "Tony brought us a house Gibbs." She smiled.

"Well congratulations Tony. Welcome to the grown up world." Gibbs quipped earning himself a half hearted narrowing of the eyes from Tony and an amused smile from both Ziva and McGee.

"Soon. How about we take Oscar up on the weekend and introduce him to the place. We need to start moving ASAP if we want to be in there before the baby arrives." Ziva looked at her watch.

"Gibbs, may I have a word?" Without waiting for a response, she walked over and called the elevator. After exchanging looks with Tony, discovering that neither had any idea what was going on, he followed her.

"What's up?" Gibbs asked patiently as Ziva pulled the emergency brake and leant against the wall.

"I have a meeting with Vance in a few minutes but I wanted to speak with you first." She took a deep breath. "As I am sure you remember, when I was pregnant with Oscar, Vance insisted that I stopped active field duty and stay at my desk from my five month mark." Gibbs nodded. "Vance and I had a discussion when I found out this time and decided that I should be the one to tell him when I believed desk duty was my better option. His only stipulation was that if it affected my ability in the field or my health then he would take the option away and choose for me."

"Right."

"I want to put myself on desk duty Gibbs. I believe that it is the best interest of my and the baby's health. Besides, in two weeks I shall be seven months pregnant. From there I could go into labour any day. If that has to happen outside the comfort of my own home, I would rather it be in the office than out in the field. It could jeopardise an operation as well as put all of us in danger." Gibbs tilted his head to the side.

"Is this what you want?" She hesitated before nodding slowly. "And this isn't about believing the suspect today?" She didn't hesitate as she shook her head. "Then it is fine by me. You know your body better than any of us do, Ziver. If you think it's time, then it's time." She smiled, hugged him the best she could and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you Gibbs." He shook his head.

"Not at all."


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Note-I got bored :/

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Tony had taken his little family to visit their new home the following Saturday and they had instantly fallen in love with it. Oscar had ran from room to room, deciding which one should be his, which naturally was the biggest until he was gently but firmly set straight by his father, while Ziva happily admired the kitchen and the garden, which already had a very colourful jungle gym set up. After constantly and consistently reassuring Tony that she loved it, Ziva agreed that they should start moving. With lots of help from everyone at NCIS, they packed up their apartment and bit by bit, slowly but surely, moved into their new home. The day that Ziva became seven months pregnant, the team practically held their breath for the whole day, but it came and went with absolutely no trouble. So, nine weeks later, everything was moved in, unpacked, and ready to go. Hanukkah, Christmas, Ava and the twins' third and first birthdays were all celebrated and there was still no sign of the baby.

Ziva drew the blanket closer around her and sighed, sipping her jasmine tea. She was more than a little lost in her thoughts when the patio doors opened, enveloping her in the subtle warmth of inside.

"Baby? What are you doing? It's about four degrees out here." Tony asked sleepily. She chuckled and held up one side of her blanket, letting him slide in beside her. He pulled the comforter around them and her into his side, kissing the top of her head.

"Did I wake you?" Tony shook his head.

"Nah, the alarm clock did." She looked at the watch on her wrist.

"I did not realise it was so late."

"How long have you been out here?" Ziva snuggled up closer to him.

"About an hour. The baby woke up at half four and decided to practise its kickboxing." Tony chuckled. "I was not going to get back to sleep after that, so I decided to come and sit out here."

"Any sign yet?" She'd been uncomfortable for days but, despite her now being one week off her due date, their little prince/princess was yet to make their grand entrance. Ziva shook her head against him.  
"I am not complaining. I would rather this baby spend as much time as they like in there, growing and developing but…"

"You wanna meet them." Tony finished. It hadn't been a question but Ziva nodded anyway. "Have you decided what you're gonna do about maternity leave?" Due to the unpredictability of when Ziva would go into labour, Vance had told her to take her maternity leave whenever she wanted.

"When I eventually have this baby, I shall take my full maternity then, rather than take it now. I love our home dearly, and you even more so for buying it for us, but it is not so fascinating as to maintain my interest for up to three weeks with nothing to do but wait." She sighed. "We should start to get ready yes?"

"We can spend a little while longer out here. Oscar is nearly four; he can pretty much dress himself now."

"I cannot believe he is getting so big. He's starting preschool in September." She laughed in disbelief. "Can you believe that just over five years ago, we were still dancing around each other?" Tony tilted her head back far enough for him to kiss her. When he pulled back, he couldn't help but chuckle at the lazy smile on her face.

"Come on you. Let's get you ready and go and see if today's the day."

As it turns out, while it wasn't the day that Ziva went into labour, it was the day that the team started the ridiculously tedious job of stakeout. Tony would be going undercover as a bent Officer, who was trying to find a new supplier for the class A's he was selling, in order to draw out a huge drug ring that was going on. None of the team was happy, seeing as any moment now Tony could get the call saying that he was going to be a daddy for the second time, but they had no choice. Gibbs quickly realised, and was only the first by mere seconds, that seeing as someone couldn't stakeout the meeting place and thus keep an eye on Tony alone, Ziva would have to be involved.

"I'm not having my heavily pregnant wife on stakeout!" Tony yelled while pacing the Director's office. "You can't do that." Vance very calmly perched on the edge of his desk.

"I am sure that if she wasn't comfortable with the arrangement, she would have come and told me herself." Tony lost the argument, despite pleading with Ziva. She stood by the fact that she wasn't comfortable having some stranger watching his six, it was her job, in and out of the field. Gibbs agreed, on the premise that she pulled out the moment she had to whether she wanted to or not. Once that was all settled, Tony slipped into character and Gibbs, McGee and Ziva slipped into a rota. Oscar would be staying with Abby for the duration and Ziva would stay there with him when she wasn't on duty. It worked, for the entire week they were on stakeout.

Ziva sighed as she tilted the camera onto the back of Tony's head. He was talking rather animatedly to one of their suspects-Liam Pail. She'd written his name five times, each time more intricately than the last until there were so many loops and swirls, she could barely make out the letters. She was bored. Bored of being on stakeout, bored of her husband being in the proverbial lion's den, bored of Oscar having to stay at Abby's but above all, bored of having to make Gibbs take over every ten minutes while she hit the head.

"Gibbs." She sighed, getting up from her seat and making her way to the tiny bathroom. He smiled at her sadly, knowing how bored she was of being pregnant by now, and put down his sandwich, brushing the crumbs off his hands as he focused the camera. He watched Pail leave and a few minutes later watched as Tony pulled out his cell. Ziva's one on the desk beside him rang.

"Hey Tony."

"Gibbs? What are you doing answering Ziva's phone." Gibbs ignored the question and the indignant tone in which it was asked.

"What ya got?" Tony sighed.

"Pail is going to collect our guy. I don't want Zi on stakeout!" The sudden change in subject barely shocked the older man.

"She won't leave you. We've all told her."

"Yesterday was her due date! She is now late, and you still want her in that dingy apartment waiting for the scum of the earth?"

"You don't think I worry too?" Gibbs matched his tone, far too frustrated and tired to play the patient father while his son had a tantrum today.

"Where's Zi?" Tony questioned, the heat fading from his voice with the mention of his wife.

"Head." Gibbs murmured.

"How long's she been in there?" He asked, keeping an eye on his watch.

"About ten minutes." Tony spotted their guy's car.

"I've gotta go. Check on her if she's in there much longer."

"Be safe Tony."

"I have a wife and two kids to come home to. I always am." A sense of pride hit Gibbs as Tony hung up that he didn't understand. He'd been her boss long before they had been married but knowing that Tony trusted him with Ziva's safety even after their argument made him proud.

"Ziver?" He knocked five minutes later. He'd waited as long as he could, if he interrupted her she probably wouldn't be happy but something in his gut told him to check just in case. He was about to knock again when he heard crying. "Ziver?" When she didn't reply he rammed his shoulder into the side of the door, knocking off the already dodgy lock and entered the room. "Ziver? What's wrong?" He crouched alongside her sobbing from. She was holding either side of her bump and holding her legs tightly crossed.

"When is Tony next supposed to call?" The pain in her voice was undeniable.

"Not for a while, our guy's just turned up." Ziva sobbed in frustration. "Ziver, what's wrong?"

"I need Tony." She breathed quickly through her nose, whimpering gently every so often.

"That's not gonna be a possibility. You're stuck with me I'm afraid."

"My water broke Gibbs." All the colour drained from his face.

"Umm, okay, ambulance." He fumbled and was just about to get up when her fist curled around the bottom of his hoodie.

"I will not have you give away our position and compromise Tony by calling an ambulance." She was panting by now.

"Well you can't very well have this baby on the bathroom floor now can you?" Gibbs reasoned as her fist tightened.

"I cannot endanger him like that." She cried out softly and Gibbs' heart sunk, but he knew she was right. He quickly pulled off his hoodie and helped her sit on it: if this baby couldn't wait until their daddy was finished with his bust then his hoodie was more sanitary than that floor. He then went to the camera, desperately urging Tony to make this quick.


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Note-So, guess what...This is the hundredth chapter! (Happy dances) Whoop whoop! I would like to thank each and every person reading this. Whether you've reviewed, story alerted, author alerted, added the story to your favourites, added me as a favourite author or are just reading consistently. Thank you, thank you, thank you. There aren't words to describe how much I owe you all. Much love. NYLF xx

* * *

"Gibbs!" Ziva whimpered, fisting both of her hands into his t-shirt. She was concentrating so hard on not pushing that she was going slightly red. Gibbs knew deep down that this baby would arrive before Tony's bust ended.

"Ziver. Concentrate for me okay?" She nodded slowly.

"Gibbs." She panted and swallowed. "I need to push." She murmured it against the pain but it was loud enough to make Gibbs' heart sink. "You need to deliver this baby now."

"Me?" The incredulous look he gave her in an other situation would have been comical. Suddenly the calm cool and collected boss was gone and the terrified father knelt before her.

"Well I cannot do this by myself now can I?" She chuckled, trying to be reassuring. Gibbs gulped down the fear and set his face back into his calm composed work mode.

"Okay." He nodded. With very little help from Ziva, all of her energy and concentration was taken up by trying not to push and trying to be quiet, Gibbs removed her slacks and underwear and covered her dignity with a towel that she had been prepared enough to bring with her. "Ziver." He talked slowly, calmly. "The baby's crowning. This is not going to take long. I need you to tell me what's going on okay?"

"You have done this before." She reminded him tensely.

"Yeah, but Marine Lieutenant Reynolds did not have any of the complications you do. I'm doing this blind so I need as much help from you as I can get." She nodded as he put his hands on her knees. "Good. Now, on your next contraction, push. Hard." She nodded again. Barely ten seconds later, she pushed her chin into her chest and pushed hard. He had to admire her strength as she held her breath and pushed until she couldn't any more. Several seconds later she breathed out slowly and brought her chin off her chest. "Good girl. That was really good. Keep breathing and let me know when you are ready again." She panted for several seconds.

"Gibbs." He nodded and gently held her knees apart.

"Go." Ziva pushed again, slightly less forcefully than the first time. He could feel her getting tired and suddenly worried if she was loosing blood. "How you feeling?"

"Slightly lightheaded." She swallowed. "I am okay. I promise."

Meanwhile Tony uttered his safe word and all hell broke loose. Their suspects were arrested and Tony took out his cell to check in. Gibbs rushed to the ringing cell, promising Ziva he'd be right back.

"You're still answering for her then Gibbs?" Tony laughed.

"Tony." Gibbs started, diminishing every trace of laughter in his senior field agent's voice. "Ziva's gone into labour. Phone an ambulance." A cry filled his ears before Gibbs hung up. He swore under his breath and took off at a sprint, dialling as he ran.

"Gibbs." Ziva whimpered as she panted. "I do not think I can do this." Gibbs scoffed.

"Don't be silly. Come on, push for me Ziver, we're nearly there."

"Promise?" She sounded so scared, so little that he so badly wanted to hold her and take away all her pain. He settled for squeezing her hand as he held her knees.

"I promise. Now push." She pushed down hard, nearly breaking Gibbs' hand in the process. "Good girl. Keep going. Come on." Gibbs encouraged. The front door burst open.

"Ziva!" Tony cried, running to her and dropping to his knees. "See?" He cried, addressing Gibbs as he took Ziva's hand from him. "This is exactly why I didn't want her on stakeout!"

"As if I had a choice DiNozzo! I tried to get her to stay behind but she was so intent on protecting your worthless ass…" He shouted back before Ziva interrupted.

"I will divorce and shoot you both if you do not stop fighting immediately!" She growled. Both men looked sheepishly at her. "Now. Tony you are going to shut the hell up and hold my hand and Gibbs, you are going to help me bring my child into the world. Got it?" They both nodded. Gibbs put his hands back on her knees slightly firmer than before.

"Okay. One more. Push." Ziva pushed with all her might and finally it was over. Tony showered her in praise but she didn't acknowledge him, her eyes firmly set on her boss as he gently cleared the baby's face. She and Tony held their breath until suddenly cries of the newborn filled their ears. Gibbs smiled as he placed the baby into Ziva's arms and covered it with the towel.

"Congratulations, she's perfect." Ziva cradled her daughter close while Tony wrapped his arms around them both.

"My daughter." Tony whispered, stroking her face with a gentle finger. Gibbs sat back on his heels and watched the scene with a huge smile.

The next few minutes were a flurry of activity. The paramedics arrived, quickly assessing and loading mother and baby into the back of the ambulance. Tony and Gibbs, quicker than they ever had before, dismantled the surveillance equipment and loaded it into the back of Gibbs' car, before they followed, phoning everybody along the way. As soon as they arrived, Tony jumped out of the car and went to find Ziva while Gibbs found a parking space.

"Ziva DiNozzo-David, please?" Tony asked a nurse once he got to Maternity.

"Right this way." The nurse smiled before leading him into a private Recovery room. He thanked her and she left him to it. Ziva was fast asleep, curled up on her right side, her hand under the pillow. Tony chuckled; if he hadn't of known better, he would have checked if it was clasped around her gun. Moving slowly and quietly, trying not to wake her, he sat down beside her and carefully tucked one of her curls behind her ear.

"How is she?" She asked sleepily, not yet opening her eyes. Tony smiled and kissed her cheek gently, lingeringly.

"I'm sure she's fine, Tesoro. How are you feeling?" She cracked open one eye before closing it again as the glare from the hospital lights blinded her half asleep eyes.

"Sore and exhausted." She admitted quietly. "I should not have been on stakeout, should I?"

"No, not really." Tony sighed. "But hey, you made it baby, you made it to full term." A very tired but very genuine smile formed on her face. Gibbs walked into the room, carefully pushing a clear plastic bassinet as if it were the most precious thing he had ever handled. Tony smiled at him.

"I thought I'd borrow her for a little while. I think she wants to meet her mummy properly." He whispered. Tony gently stroked Ziva's face, making her open her eyes again.

"Ziva, Honey, there's someone here who wants to see you." She slowly sat up, with a little help from Tony and turned to face Gibbs. She smiled at him before looking down at the tiny baby girl, sleeping peacefully.

"Shalom tsair ah'at." She gently stroked the little girl's palm and watched in amazement when her tiny fingers clasped around hers. "We have to think of a name for you." Tony got up and rounded the bed before releasing Ziva's finger and cradling their baby close. Gibbs smiled as he watched his agent hold his daughter for the first time. He received a text message, read it and quickly left. "That will be the others arriving." She yawned.

"Baby, maybe I should tell them to come back. You need to rest." She shook her head.

"Abby has Oscar. He needs to meet her." Tony nodded distractedly; he was too engrossed in watching the baby sleep.

"Everyone's here. Do you want me to tell them to come back later?" Gibbs asked, peaking his head around the door. Ziva shook her head.

"No need, they may come in." Gibbs motioned at the others and they filed in. McGee went straight to Ziva and embraced her tightly.

"Congratulations Zi. I'm so proud of you." He murmured in her ear. "Jimmy'll be down in a bit: he's babysitting our three at the moment. Ducky called as well, he's caught up in something but he'll be down later." He explained before going over to Tony. "Can, can I hold her? Do you mind?" He looked between him and Ziva and with a nod from her; Tony carefully placed the baby in his arms. "Wow." He whispered.

"You've got three of them of your own at home you know?" Abby giggled, readjusting Oscar on her hip. McGee turned and smiled at her.

"I know, but they're not this tiny any more. I forget just how tiny they are."

"Ima?" Oscar started unsurely.

"Yes baby?" He looked positively perplexed and Ziva couldn't help but smile.

"Who's that?" He asked, pointing at the baby in his McUncle's arms. Ziva chuckled and held out her arms into which Abby quickly placed the little boy, facing the baby.

"She is your little sister." Tony took her from McGee and put her lovingly into Ziva's spare arm. "You must be very careful Oscar. She is very delicate." He nodded before gently patting her hand, pulling back immediately when she moved. "It is okay Neshomeleh." Ziva reassured him.

"She won't bite, Osc." Tony chuckled, noticing his son's wariness of their new edition. He looked from Tony to Ziva to the baby sceptically.

"Can she play?" He asked, sizing up his little sister.

"Not yet bud, when she's a bit older." Oscar tilted his head to the side, looking an awful lot like his mother before smiling and gently patting his sister's head.

"Okay. Can I have a drink now please Auntie Abby?" The adults in the room laughed before Abby nodded and sat him on the chair Tony vacated, pulling a juice box from her bag. Abby gently kissed the baby's head before squeezing Ziva's shoulder.

"Well done Zi. She's gorgeous. Have you thought of a name yet?" Ziva hummed as she looked down at the sleeping baby.

"Not yet. We still have to decide." For the next hour, Abby took pictures of everything that could be photographed. Ziva specially requested a few: one of Tony, herself and both of their children, one of her and Gibbs, Gibbs' first cuddle with the baby and one of Gibbs and both the children. It was once Ziva started yawning quiet heavily that, after one last kiss and cuddle from all three of them, they made themselves scarce, taking Oscar back to Abby's for the night leaving Tony and Ziva alone.

"Hey Zi, I was reading that Hebrew baby name book that you so kindly left on my bedside table for me and I found one I liked." Ziva hummed sleepily in question. "How about Alaigha? It was spelt A-l-a-y-a-h in the book but I was thinking maybe we could spell it A-l-a-i-g-h-a? What'd ya reckon?" She slowly opened her eyes.

"Can we not discuss this in the morning?" Tony chuckled and kissed her slowly.

"Of course Darling. I'm sorry. Get some sleep."


	25. Chapter 25

The next morning Ziva woke up to the beautiful sight of her baby daughter lying in her hospital bassinet. She was wide awake but quite content to lay there in silence taking in the world around her. Ziva smiled as she sat up slowly and watched her.

"How long have you been awake hmm?" She reached out to gently stroke her cheek making her turn to face her. "Well hello there Angel." Ziva smiled. "You have my eyes Alaigha, yes you do. I know you met a lot of people yesterday but the smallest one was your big brother. He has his Papa's eyes but you have mine. I do believe you shall grow up to look just like me." Unbeknownst to mother and daughter, Tony watched from the doorway with the biggest of smiles. He silently entered the room and went to stand the other side of his daughter. Ziva only startled a little before returning her gaze to the newborn.

"You called her Alaigha." He smiled, picking up and playing with his daughter's hand. "Does that mean we agree?" She nodded.

"I like it." She paused, her gaze flitting from Tony to Alaigha. "I was wondering about middle names." She was slightly shy and Tony picked up on this immediately.

"Oh? What about them?"

"Do you think she could have more than one?" Tony looked at her funny.

"Depends what they were." He said at length. "Which ones were you thinking?" Ziva looked up at him quickly before dropping her eye line back to the baby.

"Jennifer and Tali." Tony smiled sadly. "Well Tali has always been on the counter and, well, I think Jenny would have liked it."

"Table." She rolled her eyes at him. "I think she would." When Ziva looked up at him, her eyes were brimming with tears. "Oh Sweetheart." He rounded the bassinet and embraced his wife.

"I miss her." Ziva murmured into his shoulder.

"I know, I know." Ziva pulled back slightly and wiped her eyes.

"Does this mean you agree?" Tony kissed her gently.

"I agree. Alaigha Jennifer Tali DiNozzo-David it is."

"Leia for short." A huge smile sprung forth on his face. "What?" She asked nervously.

"Leia, as in Princess Leia, as in Star Wars?" Tony watched in despair as the reference went straight over her head. "I am making you watch Star Wars when we get home Zi." After they were visited by Ducky, Jimmy and Breena and Abby had brought Oscar up, very close to weeping tears of relief that Alaigha would be coming with them, Ziva was discharged and Tony drove all four of them home.

Once Tony had pulled the the car onto the driveway, Ziva rounded to the back of the car and opened Oscar's door.

"Little sister's sleeping Ima." Ziva smiled at him.

"She will do that a lot my darling. She is growing." She unstrapped him and hoisted him onto her hip. "Come on, let us go home yes?" He nodded gently and Ziva walked to the other side of the car and unhooked Alaigha's car seat, carrying them both to where Tony had opened the door for her. She smiled at him in thanks before he followed her into their home.

Several hours later, Oscar was sleeping peacefully, half way through his afternoon nap, and Ziva was sat on the couch, her feet propped up on the coffee table, with Alaigha lying on her thighs. She was making all manner of expressive faces at her, while making her wave her hands all over the place. Tony smiled as he placed a glass of apple juice on the table beside her feet.

"You're besotted huh?" He smiled at the baby, who gave both of her parents a rather funny look, before sitting down beside them. Ziva chuckled before picking up Alaigha and putting her in Tony's arms.

"It is hard not to be. She is just so perfect. How did we make anything this perfect?" Ziva gushed, stroking her finger up and down Alaigha's arm. Tony smiled, remembering the day that they had brought Oscar home and she had asked the exact same question.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again: with you as a mother, she could be nothing but." He gently kissed her. "Now, shall we put her in her crib?" Ziva smiled.

"I guess we probably should." She sighed contentedly. "Our family is complete." The family spent the rest of the day taking pictures and enjoying being together. Oscar very quickly got used to his baby sister being in the house and started to become just as besotted as his parents.

The next day, Gibbs delivered another handmade rocking chair, the back of which was emblazoned with 'Alaigha'. As she had with Oscar, Ziva spent most evenings sat in the chair, watching her baby angel sleep.


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Note-I'm so glad you all like Alaigha. It is pronounced A-lay-ah for anyone that was wondering. This chapter is short, but for good reason.

* * *

"Hey beautiful." Tony smiled, entering the nursery quietly. Ziva shushed him, turning away from the window with a sleeping three day old Alaigha. "How is she?"

"Quiet, happily so. Do _not _wake her." She warned softly. Tony kissed her cheek gently before bending to kiss Alaigha's forehead.

"I'll be back by lunch. I promise." He murmured.

"You are supposed to be on paternity leave. I cannot believe Vance is doing this." She matched his volume, despite the annoyance in her tone.

"You know as well as I do that Gibbs wouldn't let him if it wasn't important. I'll only be a couple of hours. I'll be back as soon as I can. I'll even leave my cell on. Call me if you have any problems." She nodded. "I love you."

"I love you too." She murmured before he kissed her her once more. Tony left the nursery, collected his backpack, cells and Sig before opening the door.

"Bye." He called as he left the apartment. Alaigha startled before bursting into tears.

"Tony!" Ziva cried as she tried to settle the screaming infant before she woke up her brother.

A few hours later, Oscar sat on the kitchen side with a sandwich while Ziva tidied the kitchen, softly humming an old Hebrew lullaby to the baby asleep in her arms.

"Ima?" Oscar asked quietly. He'd already been shushed by his mother enough times to remember to watch his volume.

"Yes Neshomeleh?" She asked equally as softly, pouring him a glass of juice with her free hand. Anyone would have thought she'd done this before.

"Why did Vance call in Papa? And when will he be home?" Ziva set the glass beside him.

"I do not know why, I am sure Papa will tell us when he gets home." She looked at the clock behind her. "And that should be any minute now." She smiled at him. "Come. Shall we go colour until he gets here?" He nodded excitedly and her smile widened as she wrapped her arm around his waist and lifted him off the side. She took his hand gently. "We will have to colour in your sister's room. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's okay Ima." Oscar nodded. "You put Leia to bed; I'll go get my colours." He let go of her hand and rushed off while Ziva smiled with pride.

In the next two minutes, Leia was asleep in her cradle and Ziva and Oscar were sat, cross legged, colouring on the floor beside her. Oscar was chatting almost constantly, much to Ziva's amusement, stopping only to allow his mother to make agreeable noises. An hour later and all too soon, their fun was brought to an end by a knock at the door. Ziva got up and kissed the top of his head.

"Stay there Neshomeleh, I shall be back." Ziva ran to the door, eager to get back to having some much needed mother-son time but the smile that had been on her face for the last hour dropped immediately as she opened the door.

"Shalom, Ziva."

"Shalom, Aba, Liat."


	27. Chapter 27

"What are you doing here?" Ziva asked, slightly shell shocked to say the least. Eli smiled.

"I wanted to meet my grandson." A flood of emotions hit her all at once.

"You left." She blurted out, ripping the smile from his face and replacing it with a grave shake of the head.

"I know. For that I can only apologise. May we come in?" Ziva eyed Liat warily. "She will behave."

"Yes, of course." She held out her arm in a welcome. "Come in, can I get you anything?" Eli shook his head.

"May I meet him Ziva?" Once she had closed the door, she stood between her visitors and the stairs.

"I will ask him father, if he wishes to meet you then I shall not stop him. If he does not agree however, _his_ wishes are my priority, not yours." Eli nodded slowly.

"I understand." He placed his hands on the top of her arms gently. "You look happy Bat." She smiled.

"I am Aba." He drew her into a very quick embrace before releasing her. Ziva nodded at them both before ascending the stairs two at a time, trying to get her head into check before she spoke to Oscar.

She pushed open Alaigha's door and leant against the frame, watching her son babble to his sleeping sister while he drew.

"And that, that's Ima and that's Papa and that's Grampa Gibbs, and Auntie Abby and McUncle and Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Breena and that's great Uncle Ducky. And that's Kayla in her wheelchair and that's Ava and Isla and Efan." He explained as he pointed to each figure in turn. "And now I'm drawing you. You're gonna be pink 'cause you're a girl." Ziva smiled, watching with pride at the confidence and peace in his voice. Did she really want to expose him to everything that was her father?

"Oscar?" She crouched down to his level as he turned around.

"Yeah Ima?" She smiled gently at him.

"Do you remember Papa and me telling you about your grandfathers?"

"Grampa Gibbs?" She shook her head.

"My and Papa's fathers." Oscar tipped his head to one side.

"Eli and Senior?" He asked softly, not quite sure he'd gotten their names right.

"Yes. Eli and Senior. Do you remember?" He nodded.

"Senior met me when I was a baby like Leia but Eli never." She had to close her eyes to hold back the tears. She couldn't even fool herself that it was hormonal. She felt betrayed and horribly let down.

"That is right Neshomeleh. Well Eli is downstairs. He wants to meet you. I told him I would ask you." Oscar tipped his head the other way, considering this. When he spoke, several seconds later, it was slowly.

"Can I finish my drawing first?" He looked so serious. Ziva chuckled and fell forward onto her knees to rub her nose to his.

"Of course. I shall go tell him." She pulled the door ajar before going back down the stairs. "He is just…" But the sentence died in her mouth. She stopped on the bottom step, frozen. Eli was lying on the floor, with Ziva's knife standing in his chest. Out of instinct rather than reason, Ziva reached for the holster at her waist, finding it empty. Trembling from head to toe she took the last step and walked slowly over to him. That's when she heard him gasp for air. She lunged forward and pressed both palms either side of the knife, drenching her hands, sleeves and the knees of her jeans in his blood. "Aba. It will be okay." The investigator noticed the closed door and Liat's absence but the daughter was all too aware of the pool of blood she was kneeling in and the fact that her father was dying. His eyes were rolling in his head as he weakly gripped her arm.

"Okay Ima. I am…" Oscar stopped on the same step that his mother had before him. Ziva turned to face him just in time to see the tears of fear well in his eyes and the colour drain from his face. He screamed before running back upstairs and slamming himself back in Alaigha's room, waking her in the process. She couldn't comfort them, not while he was still bleeding out. She heard a key being turned in the lock before she heard Tony's cheerful voice.

"Honey, I'm h…" He dropped his backpack from his hand as he took in the scene. His wife was covered in blood, holding a knife in her father's chest while his two children screamed upstairs. He bypassed Ziva completely, phoning an ambulance and then Gibbs on his way up the stairs.

After the paramedics had taken Eli, Gibbs arrived to find Ziva pacing the kitchen, a evidence bag with her clothes in it on the kitchen side.

"Ziver?" He was cautious and rightly so, Ziva was fragile, working on a hairpin trigger. Tony came to the top of the stairs and called down to him. Ziva hadn't even looked up so he followed the call. "What ya got DiNozzo?"Tony sighed, running both hands through his hair as they stood on the landing.

"I've managed to get Leia back to sleep but Oscar is inconsolable. All he keeps saying is that 'Ima hurt the man'." Gibbs sighed, that testimony wasn't going to help her cause. "What are we going to do?"

"We follow procedure. McGee's on his way to take Ziva in for questioning, Abby's coming to collect the kids. You need to stay as far away from this as possible."

"But…"

"You're her husband Tony. You can't be objective. If I have to get Vance to formally bench you I will, understand?" Tony nodded. "Where's Oscar?" Tony opened Oscar's bedroom door. He was sat in the middle of the room with his blanket thrown over his head.

"Fights monsters." Tony sighed before having to leave the room as his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. Gibbs sat against the wall facing the small boy.

"Oscar? What happened Bud?" Oscar peeked out of his blanket just enough to show his face.

"Ima hurt the man." Big fat tears trickled down his cheeks.

"Did you see it?" He shook his head.

"Came downstairs after colouring and Ima was holding something. In the man's chest. There was lots of red stuff. Red stuff is bad isn't it Grampa Gibbs?" He scooped up the boy and held him close.

"It'll be okay now. You're safe." He heard the unmistakable sound of Abby's platforms coming up the stairs. She gently pushed open the door.

"Hey Osc. I heard you had a pretty scary morning huh?" He nodded against Gibbs. "I'm just gonna go get your sister and then we're gonna go play in the lab for a while. That okay?" He nodded before burying his head back in his blanket. Abby smiled sadly at Gibbs. "Timmy's downstairs. He's forgone the handcuffs but is taking Ziva down to your car." She spoke quietly before abandoning speech completely. "You think she could do this?" She signed.

"I don't know Abs. I hope not." He murmured; signing when you're holding a three year old was tricky. Abby left to get Alaigha ready as Gibbs carried Oscar downstairs. McGee had already taken Ziva down to Gibbs' car and Tony was taking pictures of the scene.

"If I can't investigate, the least I can do is document." Tony defended and Gibbs merely nodded. Once the baby was ready, Gibbs helped Abby put both of the children into her car before driving Ziva to NCIS and sending McGee back to the house to collect all the evidence. They would do this by the book, but they'd do everything in their power to get her out of this.


	28. Chapter 28

Author's Note-Please feel free to answer the poll on my profile, I wanna see what you all think. NYLF xx

* * *

It was more than an hour later when Gibbs stood in Observation. Tony and McGee were entertaining Oscar in the lab and keeping an eye on the sleeping baby while Abby processed the evidence they had brought her. Vance stood beside Gibbs, both watching as Ziva sat opposite the mirror, clearly in shock.

"Do you really think she's capable of doing this Leon?"

"She was trained to kill, her capability shouldn't be questioned."

"But her own father?" Vance turned to face him with a sad smile.

"She's just had a baby; her emotions are all over the place. All he'd have to do is push the wrong button." Gibbs exited the room taking a deep breath before he opened Interrogation and sat with his back to the mirror.

"How is he?" Ziva asked quietly, her eyes downcast. Gibbs sighed.

"Critical, but fighting. Wanna explain to me what happened?" He made sure that his tone was harsh and professional; he couldn't be seen to be showing favouritism.

"I was in Alaigha's bedroom, colouring with Oscar when there was a knock at the door. I went to answer it and found Eli and Liat stood there."

"Liat?" Ziva nodded.

"I was wary but Eli promised that Liat would be on her best behaviour so I let them in and asked what they wanted. He said that he wanted to meet his grandson. I told him that I would ask, but that it was up to Oscar." She took a deep steadying breath. "He embraced me quickly and said that I looked happy. I went upstairs to ask Oscar if he would like to meet his grandfather and he said that he would after he finished his drawing. I came back downstairs to tell him this and found." Her eyes slid closed as she started to twirl her ring. "I found him lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood with my knife in his chest. I tried to stem the bleeding which is how I got blood all over me and Oscar came down the stairs while I was kneeling over him, trying to keep the knife steady in his chest and stop the bleeding. He ran back to his room and that is when Tony came home. He phoned an ambulance and you while he went to comfort the children." She took a another deep breath but ignore the tears trickling down her cheeks. "I did not stab him, Gibbs."

"Your finger prints were found on the weapon." Gibbs placed a picture in front of her of the bloody knife.

"It was my knife Gibbs." She didn't even glance down.

"You had his blood all over you." Another picture, this one of her clothes.

"I explained that." Her voice had a desperate undertone and it hurt Gibbs' heart.

"Oscar say's you hurt Eli." He interlinked his fingers in front of him.

"He is three." The desperation in her voice was getting more prominent by the second. "Please Gibbs. You have got to believe I did not do this! I may be a trained killer but he is my father! And my children were upstairs! Do you really believe I could do this with my babies in the house?" Gibbs turned to face the mirror and Vance motioned at the technicians to switch off the video. Once the blinking red light stopped on the camera, Gibbs quickly took away the pictures and took Ziva's hand in his own.

"Ziver, it's just us now. Tell me the truth. Did you do this?" She shook her head.

"Gibbs." He voice started to fail her as emotion engulfed her. "He may be many things, but first and foremost he is my Aba. We are not close, I grant you. He is all but dead to me but Gibbs. He is my last link to my family. I could not…" She hung her head as huge sobs shook her shoulders.

"Okay, okay." Gibbs gently squeezed her hand. "We'll sort this. I promise."

"Can I…may I speak with Tony?"

"I'll talk to Vance." He left the room, pausing only momentarily in the door way to watch his agent, his daughter, try desperately to keep it together. Once he closed the door, he nodded at Vance, who had just exited Observation. "Can she?"

"What if he influences her testimony?"

"How Leon? She's already given her statement and he wasn't there. She's falling apart." Vance considered it.

"Okay, but he has to come up here, she's not to leave that room until we've proven, or disproven, her innocence." Gibbs nodded once more before making his way down to the lab.


	29. Chapter 29

"Abby!" This time he wasn't shouting over way-too-loud music, but a very distraught baby. Abby was rocking Alaigha while McGee and Oscar were taking refuge colouring in the Ballistics Lab. Tony, on the other hand, was no where to be seen.

"Hi Gibbs. Leia won't stop crying. I think she wants her mom." Gibbs put the Caf-Pow he was holding on her desk, took the baby and gently placed her on his shoulder, it didn't stop her crying but it meant that Abby had both hands to work with. "Okay, Ziva's prints were on the murder weapon, both on the blade and the handle, no surprises there, it _is_ her knife. Her prints were also found around the wound, again, no surprises because she's said that she was trying to stem the bleeding. Her hair and fibres from her clothing were also present but…"

"No surprises got it, next."

"I get that this is Ziva Gibbs, but you have to be patient." She chastised gently. "I found one partial that didn't belong to her, I'm still running it. I had Tim check the door for unidentifiable prints. I'd like to congratulate the team and the paramedics; they were all following Rule Two as we didn't find their prints anywhere. However, we did find Oscar, Tony and Ziva's, again not a surprise, but we found four smudges and one print that matches the one on the knife, the one we still don't know who it belongs to." Gibbs processed for a moment before swapping shoulders with Alaigha.

"Okay, so we've got a so far phantom print." Abby nodded. "Abs, do you have Mossad's finger prints on file?" She gave him a funny look.

"Umm, I can get them, why?"

"Ziva says that Liat arrived with Eli but she was gone by the time she found him."

"Suspect or witness?"

"I don't know yet, let's just find her." Gibbs's cell rang in his pocket and Abby took Alaigha so he could answer it. "Yeah Gibbs." He sighed. "Yeah, okay, thanks." He put the device back into his jacket and took Leia off Abby.

"What's up?"

"Where's Tony?" Abby pointed to the elevator.

"He disappeared in there about ten minutes ago. I think he's crying." Gibbs kissed her cheek.

"Good job Abs." He quickly strode across the room until he was stood in front of the elevator. "Tony?" He knocked on the metal. "Open up." A _swoosh_ sounded and the doors opened. Tony sat back down in the corner, head in hands while Gibbs reinstalled the emergency brake. He sat beside his agent, still trying to shush the baby girl in his arms.

"Give her here." The tears in his voice were undeniable. "She's probably hungry. Zi's still breast feeding." He laid the baby against his thighs and gently started stroking her torso. Her cries decreased in volume but didn't stop. "How is she?" Gibbs sighed.

"Scared, upset. She wants to see you." Gibbs looked at him carefully. "Eli's dead." Tony looked up sharply. "The hospital just phoned. He died about five minutes ago.

"This'll kill her, you know that right?" Tony sighed. "What did Vance have to say about my seeing her?"

"He's okay with it, provided it's in Interrogation." Tony scoffed. "It's a precaution."

"I know, I know. He gonna let Alaigha in?" Gibbs stroked her cheek gently.

"He can't let her starve." Tony got up slowly, cradled her to his chest and ran his hand across his eyes. "You good?"

"I'm good." Gibbs took off the brake and pressed the button that would take them to the main floor. "Say boss, have you told her yet? That Eli's dead I mean?"

"No, I've only just found out." He turned to face him. "You want me to tell her?" Tony hummed.

"No. I think I should tell her. It'd be better coming from me." He hesitated for a moment. "Gibbs, can I ask your opinion?"

"Sure?"

"Do you think she did this? I know who she was and I know she's capable but…he's still her _dad _and with the kids upstairs…" Gibbs placed a loving and calming hand on his shoulder.

"I don't think anyone here actually believes that she's guilty. But we can't favour her." Tony nodded and gently bounced Leia on his shoulder. Once they reached their destination, Gibbs led the way to Interrogation one. Vance stood beside the Observation room door.

"Hey. How is she?" Tony asked, rocking his very unhappy daughter.

"She cried for a while after she was questioned but since then she's just sat there." Tony sighed.

"She suppressing. Listen, I know it's a precaution and all that but do we need to be recorded? Leia needs feeding and I wanna talk to my wife."

"I need to go inform Mossad about Eli being attacked..."

"Killed." Gibbs interrupted. "Hospital phoned; he's dead." He explained when Vance looked at him in shock.

"Gibbs, stay in Observation. Agent DiNozzo, if the conversation becomes case related I _will_ have you charged with perverting the course of justice. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." Tony replied tensely. "Now may I see my wife?" Vance opened the door and left to make phone calls while Gibbs entered Observation. He wouldn't listen; he trusted them more than anything.


	30. Chapter 30

"Hey Baby." Tony greeted quietly. Ziva looked up at them quickly.

"She does not sound very happy." He walked beside her, sat on the edge of the table and passed her Alaigha. "Oh shush Sweetheart. What is the matter huh?" Tony smiled gently; he had always admired how she could switch from agent to mother so seamlessly, forgetting everything and anything that was going on in order to protect the children from it.

"I think she's hungry." Tony mused. "It's just us if you wanna feed her." Ziva unwrapped her and threw the blanket over her shoulder, unbuttoned her shirt and proceeded to feed her, adjusting the blanket to cover them both just in case. "How are you?" He asked softly once the baby was quietly feeding. She looked up at him wearily.

"I am sat in Interrogation being accused of attacking my father. How would you feel?" She snapped, startling the baby. "I am sorry Darling." She stroked her cheek gently.

"Ziva, Honey, Gibbs just got a phone call from the hospital." He started cautiously. Ziva sighed before looking up at him through her lashes.

"He is dead." She stated flatly. Tony nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Sweetheart." She shook her head.

"With that much blood, I expected nothing less. I just…you know…hoped, he would be okay. The investigator knew, the daughter…she still hoped for a miracle." He kissed the side of her head.

"I know Baby." He sighed. "I'm so sorry that you're in this mess." She shook her head.

"It is not your fault." Tony sighed before pacing the small room.

"If I hadn't of been here, if I had of been at home, with you, where I should have been, I could have vouched for you, I could've proved your innocence, who knows, I may have even prevented this." Angry, frustrated tears formed in his eyes. "I'm just, I'm so sorry Zi. I should have been there. I should of…" He broke off, head in hands. Ziva sighed quietly before readjusting Leia and walking over to him.

"You know that I do not blame you, correct?" He sighed. "Tony. I cannot fault you. You did not come into work by choice, you came home as soon as you could, you, no doubt, have defended me every step of the way. I. Do. Not. Blame. You." He turned to her and was confronted with a sight he didn't expect. Despite the calm comforting expression she wore, there was fear in her eyes. He rolled the blanket up enough to confirm what he suspected, Alaigha was asleep, before gently taking his daughter and letting Ziva get readjusted.

"Baby?" She finished buttoning her shirt before facing him.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you scared?" She looked at him for a moment.

"My father just died, which makes this now murder that I am being accused of." Tony cupped her face with his spare hand, stroking his thumb back and forth.

"Zi, are you really scared because you're being accused of murder or because you're still, whether or not you let the world see it, a scared little girl, whose just lost her Aba and the only tie to her heritage?" Her eyes slipped closed of their own accord as she sank to her knees and shook with the force of not crying. Tony quickly knocked on the mirror.

"What's up?" Gibbs asked worriedly as he took in the scene before him. Tony passed him a miraculously still sleeping Alaigha.

"Take her." Gibbs nodded and left the room again; he wasn't needed. Tony meanwhile knelt beside his shaking wife and pulled her close. "It'll be okay Baby, I promise, it'll all be okay."

"Ah, Jethro, I heard about Ziva's predicament. How can I help?" Ducky asked as Gibbs swept into autopsy.

"Hospital's sending you Eli's body. Find me something to prove that Ziva didn't do this." Ducky sighed.

"Oh dear. How is she taking it?" Gibbs ran a hand through his hair.

"Tony's with her. Abby's looking after Oscar and Leia. I've just sent McGee to try and trace Liat who at the moment is either star witness or prime suspect. Where's Jimmy?"

"Mr Palmer has just gone to collect the children, it is three o'clock." Gibbs looked at his watch. "Should I presume they are still alright to go to Abigale?"

"Yeah, Duck. Just prove that my agent didn't do this." He left in much the same manner that he arrived. Ducky shook his head.

"Keep a level head Jethro, I beg you."

"McGee, give me some good news." McGee looked up from his phone call briefly and put up a finger to motion for a moment.

"Okay, thank you." He put down the receiver. "There's a BOLO out on Liat and an amber alert. So far no one's seen her. I've spoken to Ziva's entire neighbourhood by now and no one remembers seeing anyone that fits her description."

"Well yeah McGee, she's trained to disappear." Gibbs sat at his desk with a thud.

"How's Ziva boss?" He looked up wearily.

"Tony's with her." He picked up the phone and called the lab, only to get a very annoyed Goth telling him to be patient and then the dialling tone.

"It's gonna be hard to prove Liat's guilty, she's trained better than our usual suspects."

"We're not trying to prove Officer Tuvia's guilt or Agent David's innocence. We are trying to uncover the truth." Vance stated calmly as he walked to the edge of the bullpen. "Now, Agent DiNozzo has already been informally benched, pending re-clarification if needed, do I need to assign another team to this?" McGee shook his head and began typing. "Gibbs?"

"No, Director Vance. We will remain objective. Now may we get back to our jobs?" Vance scowled at the abrupt, clipped tone that his agent had used but nodded none the less.

"Carry on."


	31. Chapter 31

Kayla, Oscar, Ava, Isla, Ethan and Alaigha were all sleeping peacefully in the Ballistics Lab- the older three on the futon mattress that the team used periodically on overnights, the younger three in their car seats- while Abby was working furiously, putting together all the pieces from Ducky and the scene, trying desperately to find anything that would help Ziva's case as she had been doing for the last six hours. The music had been forgone, replaced by the much more soothing sound of the team's children sleeping over baby monitor.

"Hey, Abby." Tony greeted her quietly. She turned around and embraced him gently.

"How's Ziva?" Abby asked softly before relinquishing her grasp as he sat on the evidence table behind him. He scrubbed his hands over his face.

"Tired, scared, upset; she's still processing." He sighed. "How are you lot? How are the kids?" She shrugged.

"Oscar wants to see his mom, he spent a good twenty minutes earlier complaining that Leia got to see her and he didn't. I'm not saying that to make you feel bad…"

"I know, Abs." He assured gently.

"Apart from that they're all fast-o. As for us? We've all kinda resigned ourselves to the knowledge that we're not going home until this is sorted." Tony sighed again.

"I'm sorry Abs." Abby shook her head.

"Hey, don't apologise. She's one of us and we protect our own. You know that. We'll get her out of this, trust me." She squeezed his hand carefully. "Mossad aren't gonna be happy. Especially if Liat is involved."

"Or Ziva." Abby gave him a look that could be described at lethal. "I'm not being disloyal to her. I love her and I know she'd never do this, not to him, not with our children in the house, but to remain objective, she has to be considered. You know that right?"

"I just don't wanna think about it." Abby shuddered. "What will they do to whoever did this?" Tony smiled sadly.

"Probably something highly illegal that will never be mentioned."

"Even if it's one of their own?"

"Especially if it's one of their own."

"Provided they didn't order it DiNozzo." Gibbs said from his place at the door, making them both jump. "You got something Abs."

"Not yet Gibbs, still waiting on…"

"No, Abs. You've _got _something." Abby spun on her heels.

"I forgot I'd turned off the volume, right, umm okay. Fingerprints left at the scene match Liat's. And, umm." She mused as she scrolled through the email she'd been given. "It's from Tim." She turned to face him with a grave smile. "Metro's found her. She's dead. Suspected suicide." Tony let his head fall to his chest as he sighed and Gibbs placed a gentle hand between his shoulder blades.

"Okay Abs, let's get all these kids off home to their beds." She nodded before calling autopsy to tell Jimmy, who had stayed to comb the body from top to tail for evidence even long after Ducky had gone, and simultaneously emailing McGee.

"Tony, if you want we could have your two for the night? It's no trouble?" Abby offered lovingly but Tony shook his head.

"We'll be alright." He turned to Gibbs. "Boss? Ziva?" Gibbs squeezed his shoulder.

"Take her home Tony. Just, take her home."


	32. Chapter 32

"Come here." Tony urged quietly. They'd been home for an hour, the children were asleep in their beds and Tony was now sat on the couch while Ziva stood where Eli's body had laid mere hours before. Tears pooled in his wife's eyes as she gently sat next to him, still too far away for his liking. He slipped one arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She leant into his side for only a moment before the full magnitude of the day hit her like a tonne of bricks and sobs shook her entire frame. "Oh, shhh, it's okay Baby." He soothed, pulling her onto his lap and holding her close to his chest. "It's gonna be okay Sweet." He gently started rocking them both as she sobbed. Moving slowly and soothingly, Tony took both of her hands from her face and wrapped them around his neck. Once he was sure she was holding him, he pulled his arm tighter around her back and put the other under her bent legs. He walked softly but quickly to the bedroom, fixed the pillows against the headboard with the arm around her back, before getting in and placing her back on his lap. "It's gonna be okay, Darling, I promise." His cell rang, thankfully, in his jeans pocket. "Yeah, what is it now?" He asked wearily, landing comforting kisses into her hair.

"Hey, Tony, it's McGee." Tony sighed.

"Hey Tim."

"Jeeze that bad huh? How's Ziva?"

"Currently crying in my lap. Abby?"

"Tending to the kids. Listen, mate, are you sure you don't want us to take your two? It really isn't a problem." Tony readjusted Ziva's weight more evenly across his lap.

"I think we just need them here right now. The offer's appreciated it really is but…"

"No, I understand. Just…don't hesitate to call okay?"

"Cheers Tim." He ended the call and put the phone on the cabinet beside him. The padding of tiny footsteps suddenly became audible to Tony as he watched a tiny figure appear at their door.

"Papa? What's the matter with Ima?" Oscar asked gently, as if afraid to startle to still crying woman.

"Ima's okay Osc, she's just had a bad day." Tony tried to reassure him.

"Like when Kieran from day-care pushed me down?"

"Yeah, Bud, just like that." He almost laughed at how far from that the day had been. "You remember that you came home and cried and Ima held you and told you it would all be okay?" The small boy nodded. "That's what Ima needs right now."

"Okay Papa." The small boy stepped a few more tiny steps into the room. "Ima?" Ziva dragged her hand across her eyes before turning to face her son.

"Yes, Neshomeleh?" He stepped carefully across the rest of the room. Once he reached the bed he held out a podgy hand encasing his blanket.

"You want? Make you feel better Ima. Makes me feel better when I'm sad." Ziva's face crumpled into more tears as she buried her face into Tony's neck. He smiled reassuring at Oscar who suddenly looked confused and hurt.

"That's very sweet of you Oscar, but you keep it okay? It fights off the monsters remember?"

"Maybe it can fight Ima's monsters?" He suggested helpfully. Tony smiled, untangling one of his arms to ruffle the little boy's curls.

"She's got Papa to fight her monsters okay Buddy?" Oscar nodded. "You need me to tuck you back in?"

"Nope, I got it Papa. Ima needs you to fight the monsters away." He patted Ziva's back gently. "Love you Ima." He then waved to Tony and after receiving one back; the little boy took himself back to bed.

"We're raising a good kid there Zi." He murmured, watching his son retreat from sight before turning his full attention to the love of his life in his arms. "Ziva?" He carefully tipped her into his arm just enough to see that she had fallen asleep. Not that he was surprised; being up since four and with the high stress day she'd had, sleep was the best thing for her. He slowly put her beside him before slipping out of his jeans and shirt. "Zi, if you stay asleep through this I will be amazed." He mused out loud as he popped the button and undid the zip on her jeans before working them down her legs. He then gently and skilfully took off her shirt and bra and slipped her into an oversized t-shirt. "Jeeze Zi." He murmured as he slid her legs under the covers. "If it makes you sleep this well maybe we should have days this stressful more often." After pulling the covers over her and kissing her forehead he checked that Oscar had in fact made it back into bed, which he had. He mimicked the action on him before crawling into bed and holding Ziva close. He would be surprised if she didn't have a nightmare tonight. He might as well get as much sleep as he could before the whole house woke up again.


	33. Chapter 33

Ziva woke up screaming and found herself in bed alone. She rolled over to look at her alarm clock: zero three twenty.

"Tony?" She stumbled out of bed, tying her robe as she did, sleep blearing her eyes, as she made her way down the hall to check on Oscar. He looked so much like his dad when he was asleep. She smiled from her place in the doorway before turning to check that she hadn't woken the baby. There were no lights on in the house, save Oscar's nightlight, which meant that the nursery was illuminated only by the full moon outside. "Did I wake her?" She asked sleepily before something clicked in her brain, while the man stood by the window was the right height, his build wasn't the same. "Who are you and where is my husband?"

"He is safe." The man announced quietly, turning to face her with Alaigha in his arms. "For now." All the colour drained from her face as she uttered a single word.

"Malachi?" Her breathing picked up speed as everything started to hit her at once. "Give me my daughter Malachi." He laughed.

"She is perfectly fine, Ziva. I will not hurt her."

"Where is my husband?"

"We need your help, Ziva. This was the only way we could ensure your cooperation."

"Asking was out of the question then I suppose." Ziva shook her head. "I am no longer part of Mossad, Malachi. I am an American citizen, a wife, a _mother _and part of NCIS. You cannot blackmail me into doing jobs for you anymore."

"Liat was rouge. She was never told to assassinate your father. You must have guessed that from the manner and location?" She nodded. "So you will know then that this was not Mossad's doing?" Another nod. "We need Zara, Ziva. One last time." Ziva shuddered at the sound of her old alias. It wasn't that she hadn't enjoyed being Zara, oh no, it was that many had feared, not least herself in hindsight, that she had perhaps enjoyed being her too much.

"Where is Tony?" Malachi smiled sadly.

"One track mind, as always."

"My mind is not, nor has it ever been, one track. I am currently thinking about my four day old baby in your arms, my three year old across the hall, my boss, who will most likely already know that something is wrong and shall be phoning any second if I know him as well as I think I do, and about an old friend, who left me to die many a time, who is standing in my nursery asking for his wife to come back to him despite the knowledge that three of the four people who even know she existed think she is dead and have probably by now told the fourth. Not to mention my replacement, who murdered my father in my hall with all the skill of a cross country skier, while aforementioned children were playing upstairs, to achieve nothing save having me questioned all day. Also, a small part of my mind is currently dedicated to deciding which body part I should remove first if you have harmed my husband in anyway. Do not smirk Mal, it does not become you."

"He is lucky to have you."

"And I him. My mind is not one track; Tony is just my first priority. Now take me to him or Zara will stay in her box forever." Malachi watched her for a moment, as if resizing her in his head. They had been right, she had changed. Though he was yet to decide if it was for the worst. He held out the infant, whom Ziva quickly gathered up and held her close while her colleague spoke in rapid Hebrew down the phone.

"Call a babysitter." He marched past her to wait in her kitchen while Ziva checked Alaigha over. Once satisfied that she had not been harmed she placed her back into her crib and ran to her bedroom to retrieved her cell.

"Tim?" Over the line she heard the groan of Abby who had been ripped from her sleep before the sound of crying-she had woken the children.

"Ziva? What's wrong?" Tim yawned, as he ran his spare hand over his face, trying to remove the sleep from his eyes.

"I am sorry, I know it is early but I need a favour."

"Mhmm?" He hummed sleepily.

"I need to drop the children off at yours, can you watch them?"

"Sure, but…" She heard the confusion but it was the confirmation she needed.

"Thank you, I am on my way." She hated to wake them, but she'd need Gibbs. He could hardly be her backup while he was babysitting.


	34. Chapter 34

Malachi opened the front door of a Mossad safe house that Ziva didn't recognise and motioned her inside.

"Tony!" She cried as she spotted him tied to a chair in the middle of the room. He smiled at her, slightly groggily. "Did he hurt you?"

"What happened?" She gently stroked his cheek as she assessed him.

"I am so sorry."

"Why are you sorry Zi?"

"You were a bargaining chip for my cooperation. I should never have let this happen."

"Hey, it's okay. It's not like you called people to kidnap me from my bed in the middle of the night. Right?" She glared at him gently before slipping a newly replaced knife from her waist and cutting his binds. Tony rubbed the feeling back into his wrists before standing up and embracing her. "Where are the kids?"

"With Tim and Abby." She murmured into his chest as he held her tighter. Malachi cleared his throat. Ziva left the safety of Tony's arms and turned to face him. "Will my doing this ensure his safety? That you never come back into my life and my home ever again? That Mossad will leave my family in peace?"

"You have my word: this is it." Ziva quickly looked up at her very confused husband and took his hand before facing Malachi once more.

"I need forty eight hours. You will not follow me or contact me in that time or all bets are off, understand?" He nodded. "I will meet you here at the end of this time."

"Ziva what's…?" Tony started, confusion dripping from his words.

"While I am doing this, my family are not to be contacted. Any of them. If I hear that they even _think _they are being followed, I will shoot you myself."

"Seems fair." Malachi smiled.

"Then…I guess I have no choice." She sighed. "If this means that Mossad is out of my life forever, then I guess you should count me in." Tony looked from one to the other.

"Zi?" She squeezed his hand gently as she turned to face him.

"I will explain when we get home. I promise."

"So?" Tony asked with an edge to his voice that she had expected. She sighed gently before sitting on the couch and motioning for him to join her.

"Several years before I came to America, I was tasked with a highly dangerous undercover op. My cover was to be Zara Kashier, a teacher of chemistry in a school in Paris. Zara was married to Aaron, Malachi's alias." She paused to gauge his reaction before continuing. "Our task was to take out four known terrorists that had been spotted. They had been hiding out ever since Mossad had tried to neutralise them the year earlier. We knew it was dangerous. We both knew the risks. I was teaching at the school where one of them had been working for little over two weeks when I was made. I was driving home one evening when my car was run off the road and I took heavy fire. Three to the abdomen and one to the chest. I called Malachi and said our pre-decided safe word. When I came to four days later, I was in a hospital in Tel Aviv. He told me that the cell had been disbanded but they had all gotten away. It now seems that they have joined forces once more. Out of the four, three of them were identified as the men that killed Zara. This case was supposed to remain shut." She stood up before crouching in front of Tony as he looked on at her in stunned silence.

"You promised me you were done with suicide missions." He pressed out through gritted teeth. She closed her eyes and sighed tearfully.

"That was before it was for you." She very quietly sobbed just the once before she stood up and made her way quickly to their bedroom. By the time he caught up with her, the bathroom door was locked and the shower was running.


	35. Chapter 35

Author's Note-Okay guys, it's about to get emotional. Including this one, I have seven chapters written, all of them are short, and all of them are really REALLY emotional. Oh and Ziva cries a lot. :/ I thought I'd warn you. NYLF xx

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Ziva silently opened Gibbs' front door before quickly making her way over to the couch and sitting on the coffee table beside it.

"What's up?" Gibbs asked sleepily, cracking one eye open. Ziva smiled half-heartedly and put a coffee cup in his hand.

"I need your help."

"So, how long's the op?" Ziva had just finished retelling the night's events and was now sitting very still, trying desperately to hold it together.

"Ah, well, the last one ended after two weeks."

"Yeah, well, I'd rather you not get shot to pieces this time though, if you can help it." A small smile graced her face. "So you don't know?" The small, tense shake of her head that she gives him has him worried. "You're scared. Not a question."

"Not for me." He looked at her questioningly. "Gibbs, nothing I tell you today leaves us okay?"

"Okay?" If there was a more worrying sentence, he was yet to hear it.

"I do not think I am coming home Gibbs. I know that this mission is not going to end well, I can feel it, but I have to go."

"Why?" Ziva sighed exasperatedly before standing and starting to pace.

"Because if I do not, Mossad will keep coming after my family. My children, my husband, the team: the people I_ care_ about. They will never be safe for as long as Mossad feel as though I owe them. You must understand that I am doing this to protect you all." Gibbs was quickly on his feet as tears pooled in her eyes.

"C'mere." He pulled her to him with strong insistent arms until she curled into his embrace and wept. "Oh Ziver." He kissed the top of her head as she was rocked by the force of the sobs coming from her. "You shouldn't have to do this. His death should have been the end." He mused. He hated that Mossad still owned her, but she was right. This last job would protect Tony and the children from Mossad backlash in the future. Even if she didn't come home. She slowly calmed down and rested her head on his chest.

"I am sorry." She murmured tearfully.

"Hey, no no. You don't need to apologise." He matched her volume as he held her tighter. "Maybe you should tell Tony how you feel about this." He felt her shake her head against him.

"I cannot. He will try to stop me." Gibbs sighed. "Will you help me?"

"Of course. You should know that by now Ziver." He smiled gently as he cupped her face and made her look at him. "I'll keep all four of you safe." He kissed her forehead lingeringly. "I promise." He whispered against her skin.


	36. Chapter 36

She let herself in quietly before adjusting a sleeping Oscar on her hip and placing Alaigha's car seat on the coffee table. Tony came out of the kitchen to greet her. He started to talk but Ziva shook her head before walking up the stairs, holding Oscar close to her chest.

"Ima?" Oscar asked sleepily just as she tucked him in. She smiled and stroked a curl off his forehead.

"I am here Neshomeleh." She kept her tone happy, despite the pain in her heart.

"Are you okay Ima?" She smiled.

"Have I ever told you how perceptive you are?" He shook his head. "You are _very _perceptive my Angel." She leaned in and kissed his forehead. "I have to go away for a little while." She watched his face fall. "I will be back as soon as I can." He tipped his head to the side, considering this.

"Op?" She actually chuckled as she stroked his cheek.

"Yes Bambino. Op." He softly put his hand over hers.

"Be safe 'kay?" Tears gathered in her eyes.

"I will." She fought against the tears but she was fighting a loosing battle. "I promise you my beautiful boy. I will be safe. I will come home to you." Despite the fear in his eyes at the sight of her crying, he sat up in bed and threw his arms around her neck.

"I'll look after Leia for you Ima, and Papa. I'll keep them safe." She sobbed into his shoulder as she pulled him on to her lap and embraced him fiercely. "Everything will be okay Ima." He kissed her shoulder. "Love you." She squeezed him gently.

"I love you more, my big brave boy." She slowly gathered her shattered composure as she rocked them slowly. "Can you promise me something Tesoro?"

"Okay Ima." She looked him in the eye and smiled slowly at the serious contemplating face he was presenting her.

"Keep an eye on your Papa for me. He may be sad and you need to make him smile okay?" Her breathing hitched as she tried to memorise his wide smile.

"Okay Ima. I'll make Aba smile." More tears appeared at the term. She kissed him quickly.

"Good boy. Now." She put him back in bed and tucked the covers up to his armpits. "Lailah Tov Sweetheart. Chalomot Tovim." She kissed his forehead slowly before rising and switching on his nightlight, even though it was largely redundant as dawn was already starting to chase away the dark. "Sleep well." She pulled his door to before crossing the hall to where Tony had put Leia to bed. She crossed the room silently before leaning over the rail to find her own deep chocolate eyes staring back at her. "Hello Angel." She cooed before lifting her out and sitting in her rocking chair before nursing her. "Oh Sweetheart I do not know how this will work baby but I will make sure you will not go hungry. There is plenty enough to feed you for a few weeks already stored but." She sighed. "When I do not come home you will have to develop far too quickly." She shook her head at herself as she felt another lump form in her throat; she hadn't cried this much since Oscar had been in the hospital and Ducky had discreetly informed her that she'd had a mild case of postnatal depression at the time. "Your Papa is a brilliant father and you will love him so very much. You and your brother are his world but I know that there will be times when you need a woman's influence. Your Auntie Abby will always be there for you Precious, I promise. Even though I will not be there I will always be here." She gently tapped the baby's chest. "And I will always love you." She stopped feeding to look up at her mummy as if she knew how important it was for her to do so in that moment. Ziva gathered her close and whispered a desperate plea in her infant daughter's ear. "Please do not forget me." She sobbed against her. "Please, please remember me baby. Never forget how much I love you, how amazing it is to be your mother, how wonderful these last few days have been. I will always watch over you my Darling. I am so sorry." She rocked them back and forth as sobs racked her frame. "I am so _so _sorry."


	37. Chapter 37

She crept into their bedroom and found Tony watching the sky lighten from their window seat that Ziva had, many a night, fallen asleep in when Alaigha had been particularly restless in her womb. He knew she was there but he didn't turn and she didn't announce her presence. They just needed a moment; Tony to come to terms with his wife's decision, one that could turn him from loving husband to grieving widower and Ziva to try to swallow the tears that were still streaming before she spoke with him. She had no idea if he would shout at her or embrace her but for once she wasn't sure she could fight. She wanted, needed, her husband to hold her and assure her that everything would be alright.

"Kids asleep?" His voice was low and thick and guilt rose in her throat as she heard all the pain she was causing him.

"Oscar and I had a chat before he went down and I have fed Alaigha." He nodded, still not facing her.

"Is there enough milk frozen to feed her?" She closed her eyes.

"There is enough for a, a couple of weeks." He turned around and she saw grief more than pain in his eyes.

"And if you…don't come home?" He choked. She shifted her weight from foot to foot.

"I have every intention of coming back." He got up and was in front of her in seconds.

"But you don't think you will." She was staring at his shoes when she answered him.

"What makes you say that?"

"Your eyes, Zi." She looked up at him slowly. "They've never lied to me before. You're saying goodbye Ziva. You think this will be the end." She sobbed and he embraced her tightly. She flung her arms around his waist and held on as he whispered in her ear. "I won't let them forget you. They will always know what a fantastic woman their mother was. I will always tell them how much you love them, how you'll always be looking down on them. I will never forget you. I will always love you. No matter if you're in my arms or just in my heart." She shuddered against him. "I want you to come home Ziva. I want to be your husband until we're old. But if I don't get that chance, you will never be forgotten." He gently led her to the bed before lying down and pulling her more fully into his arms.

"I do not want to leave you." She sobbed. He kissed her head and left his lips connected to her skin.

"I know baby. I don't want you to leave me either." His own tears were streaming by now.

"Do you think I am making the wrong choice?" She looked up at him with scared wide eyes.

"No, I know you have to do this." And to his credit, he wasn't lying. "I just want to be there, to keep you safe, to bring you home to your family, to our children." She snuggled into his chest, needing the strength and reassurance he was giving her. He circled his arms around her tightly. "We'll be right here waiting for you to return Zi. Even if I have to wait forever. I will wait for you my love. No matter how long it takes for you to come home to me." She sobbed against him. "I love you, ti amo, Ani Ohev Otach." She cried out loud and he held her tighter. "And I always will." She was shaking so violently in his arms; he pulled her tighter into him. "I trust you. I love you. I'll miss you." He kissed the top of her head. "I will pray for your safe return. Every minute of every day until you walk back in through that door. Until you come home to me my wonderful, beautiful, amazing, warrior, ninja angel wife. I hope you will never doubt my love for you, I hope you always remember how I would take a bullet for you, I hope you will always remember how much you mean to me, to Oscar, to Alaigha, to Gibbs, to Abby, to Tim, to Ava, to Ethan, to Isla, to Jimmy, to Breena, to Kayla. I hope you always remember that you are better than what you are about to do. I hope you will always know just how much I love you. That you know that you are _not _that woman anymore. That you're a mother, a wife, an aunt, a sister, a daughter. You are _not _the assassin your were brought up to be. You are perfect, and I will always love you, cherish you, honour you, even if I can't always protect you." She tightened her hands around his shirt.

"I love you so much. I love you, I love you, I love you." She sobbed against him. "Forever and always." He kissed her slowly, pouring all of the passion, all the sadness into it. She moved so that he was above her. "Make love to me Tony. One. Last. Time." He sobbed as he felt her give up the last ounce of hope that she was coming home before slowly, lovingly, undressing her as she returned the favour. They made love as the sun rose that morning, both in tears, but neither wanting to stop. It was slow and loving, a precious and last desperate attempt to keep them together emotionally if not physically. After they had finally climaxed together and he rolled off of her, he pulled her close to him and tucked her loose curls behind her ear.

"Forever." His final whispered promise was that last thing she heard before succumbing to sleep.


	38. Chapter 38

Once she had woken up, just a few hours later, and had had a shower, she phoned Abby and Jimmy, asking if she could come over. Both said yes.

"Tony?" She murmured, gently shaking his shoulder in an effort to wake him.

"Hmm, what's up?" She chuckled.

"I'm going to see the team; I will be back before dinner. I have fed the baby and Oscar is playing in his room." Tony sat up and pulled her onto his lap.

"Give me ten minutes to get dressed and get the kids ready and we'll come with you." She shook her head.

"I have to do this alone, my love." She watched as his face fell.

"What if this is the last forty eight hours I spend with you?" He looked at his watch. "Thirty eight hours and twenty minutes." He corrected. She kissed him gently.

"They deserve a goodbye Tony." She had already left the bed and was slipping her cell into her jacket pocket as she slipped into the doorway by the time he realised that she wasn't there. "Watch the children, I have my cell." With that she left and Tony felt a sinking feeling in his chest, one that screamed at him to get used to being without her.

"Hey, you sounded weird on the phone, what's up?" Abby greeted her as she opened her door with Isla on her hip. Ziva tickled the little girl's chin, making her giggle before looking her friend in the eye.

"I want to spend time with my nieces and nephew." Abby narrowed her eyes slightly.

"And?" Ziva sighed before reaching out to the little girl who reached back.

"May I?" Abby nodded as she passed Isla to her Auntie who immediately had the most expressive smile plastered all over her face, causing more giggles to come from the little girl. "And I need to talk to you and Tim." Worry flashed in Abby's eyes as she let her friend in.

"Auntie Zeeba! Auntie Zeeba!" Ziva laughed at the newest attempt of her name as Ava charged up the hall and threw herself at Ziva's legs. Ziva laughed before couching and picking her up, hoisting her onto her spare hip across from her sister.

"Hello Avie. What you been up to?" Ziva smiled while Abby went to tell Tim that she was here.

"I been playin'." The only just three year old announced proudly.

"Wow! What have you been playing?" Ziva asked enthusiastically while gently pulling one of her curls from Isla's hand with the one wrapped around her.

"Lots of fings. Well, I was, until Efan int'rupted me." She sighed dramatically, making her Aunt giggle. "Not funny!" She shook her head, making her ebony curls dance and her bright green eyes to sparkle in the hall light.

"No, Poppet, you are right. I am sorry. It is not funny." Ziva tried to stop herself from laughing at the serious look that her niece was giving her. "Where is Ethan now?" Ava shrugged.

"Down please." Ziva granted the request and gently placed her on the ground. She skipped away the moment Ziva's hand left her, her tiny purple skull and crossbones skirt bouncing with the movement. "I guess Mama dressed her this morning huh Isla?" The baby laughed as Ziva tickled her with her now spare hand.

"Mama." She agreed before resting her head on her Aunt's shoulders. While her first word had been 'Dada', and not even the week full of extra grim cases they'd had could take away the proud smile McGee had been sporting at that, 'Mama' had been quick to follow. Ziva gently stroked her mouse brown curls just as McGee exited the kitchen carefully holding Ethan, who immediately started kicking his little feet and holding out his arms the moment he saw Ziva. Ziva held out her spare arm and McGee gently fit his son against her hip.

"Hello Ethan." Ziva smiled as she kissed his soft black hair gently. "I have missed you." McGee smiled as he kissed Ziva's cheek.

"So, as much as the child distraction is lovely." He started with a smile. "To what do we owe this pleasure?" Ziva carefully adjusted the twins' weight before smiling sadly.

"Can we go and sit down? There is something I need to discuss with you both." McGee nodded before leading them through to the lounge, a bright airy room, decorated in butter yellow and chocolate brown. She would miss this room.

While Ava played with her 'My First Computer', and the twins sat on Ziva's lap, she told the adults sat on the other sofa everything that had happened with Malachi and in Paris all those years ago. By the time she had finished, McGee had taken Abby's hand and the woman herself was looking back at her with a tear-jerking combination of fear, grief, understanding and pure, unadulterated sadness in her eyes.

"So, you're doing it?" McGee asked after clearing his throat, his voice still thick despite it. Ziva nodded sadly, not able to meet either of their eyes.

"I am to meet Malachi Monday morning."

"Why did you only ask for forty eight hours? You could've asked for years Zi! Long enough for your daughter to remember you!" Abby gasped as she realised what she had said. Ziva's eyes glossed as she calmly put both the twins on the floor before curling up into herself. "I'm sorry…Ziva?"

A single sob sounded and both Abby and Ava were on their feet immediately. Abby pulled Ziva into her arms and held her tightly while Ava tugged on the hem of her father's t-shirt in order to get his attention.

"Dada, why Zeeba cryin'?" McGee scooped up his daughter and pulled her onto his lap.

"She…she has to go away for a while and doesn't know how long for." He sighed, he'd learnt long ago that it was pointless lying to her; she was too much of her mother's daughter for it to work. "She's worried about baby Leia not remembering her." Despite his fumbled attempts to stop her, Ava slipped of his lap and stood in front of the other couch before tugging at Ziva's shirt. She dragged a hand across her eyes and turned to face her.

"Yes, Angel?" Ava looked a little frightened at the sight of not just her Aunt, but, by this point, her mother as well, crying, but she soldiered on.

"Daddy says that you have to go away and you're 'fraid that Leia won't 'member you." Ziva looked at McGee's guilty face and he shrugged apologetically. "Leia won't forget you Auntie Zeeba, you know why?"

"Why Sweetheart?" Ziva asked quietly, genuinely quite curious. Ava scrambled onto the sofa with a little help from her mother and placed her hand on Ziva's chest.

"Cause Mama says that we can sometimes see people wif our hearts not our eyes." She informed her gently. "Leia will see you wif this." Ziva pulled the toddler into a tight embrace, trying desperately to not cry on her favourite 'Scientist in the Making' t-shirt. "Love you Auntie Zeeba."

"I love you too, so very much."

After a few minutes, Ziva let go of Ava who quickly went back to her game, unaware of just how deeply she had touched the woman. Abby left to put the twins down for a nap, and to convince Ava to do the same, and Ziva took advantage of the moment to speak to Tim privately.

"This'll be Africa all over again won't it?" He asked, finding his hands very interesting. Apparently he'd had to same idea.

"I should not be captured." She muttered quietly, knowing full well that hadn't been what he'd meant.

"Zi…"

"I know." She sighed. "You are asking if this is another suicide mission, if this is one that I am not preparing a return from, yes?" He nodded slowly. "I have every intention of trying to come home."

"But you don't expect to." It wasn't a question, but Ziva still shook her head as more tears welled in her eyes. "Ava's right y'know? Alaigha will see you with her heart, Oscar too. And we won't let them forget you, _any_ of them." He stressed to her in all seriousness. "And I'll look after Tony for you." That was the final straw for her and tears started to pour down her cheeks. "I will make sure he doesn't drink himself stupid, I'll make sure he shaves, and washes." Despite the tears she still managed to laugh at that. "I'll look out for him, like I know you'd do for Abby, like you'd do for me." She hugged herself tightly. "I'll try to comfort Abby. I'll keep her in Caf-Pow and pigtails. I'll make her talk about you, make her deal with the pain better than she did with Kate." She shuddered, even though she knew all these goodbyes were about what would happen after she didn't come home, that was the first time she'd been associated with someone who was actually dead. It scared her just a little. "She'll get through it eventually Zi. I promise." She nodded and he sat beside her and pulled her to him.

"Come here." He murmured into her hair as he kissed the top of her head. "We will all miss you Ziva, but we all understand. Just promise me you won't stop trying. Promise me you won't give up and just accept that you're gonna…go." He couldn't bring himself to say 'die'. "If you have to go down, go down fighting."

"I promise." She muttered into his chest. "I promise."


	39. Chapter 39

After sitting in her car for a good fifteen minutes trying to compose her self, she rang the door bell announcing her presence to the Palmer residence. She heard the dead bolt disengage before the door swung open and she was greeted by a very pink Kayla.

"I knew it was you! I said it was you!" She giggled as Jimmy came into view running down the hall.

"Kayla! What did I say about answering the door?" The toddler turned to face him and bowed her head.

"Not to." Jimmy nodded.

"That's right. Now, what do we say?" She looked up with big wide sapphire eyes.

"Sowwy daddy." He ruffled her blonde curls gently.

"Good girl, you're forgiven. Now, greet your Aunt nicely." She turned back to face Ziva.

"Hi Auntie Zeeba!" She giggled before motioning at her to bend to her level, once they were face to face, her voice dropped to a whisper. "I telled 'em it was you." Ziva laughed before kissing the little girl's forehead.

"Baby, why don't you go help your mother finish painting while I let your Aunt actually enter the house huh?" Kayla laughed before zooming off down the hall. "Sorry about that." Jimmy ushered her in before closing the door behind her.

"Not at all. Her speech has come on in jumps and boundaries, has it not?" Jimmy laughed as he walked into the kitchen.

"Her speech _has_ come on _leaps and bounds _yes." He agreed laughing. "So, what can we do for you? You sounded upset on the phone." Ziva sighed.

"Abby said the same thing; I think I am loosing my touch." Jimmy smiled at her.

"Never. Sugar?" He asked putting coffee into two mugs.

"No thank you and just a little milk." He prepared her drink as instructed before passing it to her and leaning against the side.

"So, what's up?" She stared into her cup. "Ziva?"

"Promise not to freak out?" He nodded, his confusion written all over his face, something that quickly turned to fear and sadness as she told him the reason for her being there. "And I have to meet Malachi in the early hours of Monday." She finished as she placed her untouched, but by now cold, coffee on the table beside her. Jimmy nodded slowly as he processed.

"Do you need anything?" She shook her head.

"I just thought that you deserved to know. And I wanted to spend time with Kayla, I want to give them all the best chance at…remembering me." She was in tears again as she uttered the last two words. Jimmy pulled her to him in a fierce hug.

"I'll make sure she never forgets you Ziva. You mean far too much for me to let that happen." He assured her. "Kayla?" They heard the sound of her wheelchair speeding towards them at the call.

"Yeah daddy?" Her smile dropped as she saw the tear stains on Ziva's cheeks. "Auntie Zeeba, what wrong?" Ziva smiled at her gently.

"Nothing Sweetie."

"'Kay." Apparently, Ziva was the only one who could lie effectively enough to convince the children.

"Baby, why don't you show Ziva your amazing painting skills?" She nodded enthusiastically, grabbing her hand before zooming off, making Ziva jog to keep up. As they entered the last room on the right, the smell of fresh paint wafted over them both.

"I hope that goes down before we try to put her to bed tonight." Breena laughed before looking up and seeing Ziva. "Oh, sorry, I thought you were Jimmy. How are you Ziva?" For about half a second, Ziva considered telling her just how terrible she felt, but it wouldn't be fair to burden someone who she didn't really know with troubles that didn't really concern her and then there was the fact that Kayla was in the room.

"I am well; I see someone got a little, _creative_ with the paint hmm?" Ziva finally settled for as she examined the two year old that had managed to paint her entire face and most of her t-shirt and lap in bright pink paint.

"Yes, well, little one will be having a bath tonight." Breena smiled. "Whether she likes it or not." She blew a raspberry on her cheek, sending the little girl into a fit of giggles that Ziva couldn't help but join in with. She would break so many hearts one day with those golden curls, sapphire eyes and that infectious laugh and smile. A small part of Ziva ached to see it. She spent a good few minutes laughing and helping paint the bits that Kayla couldn't reach until Jimmy came in and watched them with a sad smile.

"Ziva?" She turned to face him and the wide smile dropped a few inches. "Can I borrow you for a minute?" She nodded, kissed Kayla's head, passed her her paint brush and went to stand in the hallway with Jimmy.

"What is it?"

"Ziva, I want to tell you just how much I care for you. I want you to know that if you ever need anything, you're to call, day or night. But I am also no one's fool; I know that you don't think your coming home. So I want to assure you that that offer will always be extended to Tony, Oscar and Alaigha. I will keep them all as safe as I can for you. I hope you know that." Ziva kissed his cheek.

"Thank you Jimmy. It has been a pleasure to know you."


	40. Chapter 40

Author's Note-Okay, couple of things. Firstly-thank you for all your reviews and continued support even though I'm breaking all of your hearts. Secondly, I'm bored of being so far a head of you so I'm going to update for four reviews instead of five. Lastly, in the three year gap between where Famiglia Y Mishpacha ended and where this one began, Ziva's Aunt Nettie died. I haven't mentioned it until now because it wasn't relevant but it might add some weight as to why she is _so _upset at Eli dying. Not just because he's her dad but because he's the last one. Oh, and this is a stupidly short chapter but it worked better then connecting it to the next one. Okay? Sorted. Read on. NYLF xx

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After she'd left Jimmy's, with an empty promise that she'd be at Kayla's very pink third birthday party with a brand new pony for her collection, Ziva had driven around in circles until her fuel tank started to complain that she had just about enough to get home. She pulled the car over and rested her head on the wheel, it had been such a long day, yet time was moving so fast. In just thirty one hours and twenty five minutes, she would be meeting Malachi. She sighed before turning her head to one side and staring at where she had ended up. She chuckled, if fate had ever had a hand in her life, it was now. She slowly got out of the car and practically tiptoed through the silent, empty graveyard until she found one that was so familiar, she bet herself she would probably be able to find it in her sleep. She sat cross-legged at the end of the patch before smiling sadly.

"Hi, Jen." She chuckled to no one in particular. "I need some advice. You see I have this op that is basically a suicide mission. You know me better than I know myself sometimes. I need you to tell me I am doing the right thing. I will admit it, I am afraid. Alaigha has only just come to us and now I am just gonna leave her? And Oscar, oh Oscar, loosing his mother so young will force him to grow up so quickly. Do I really want to do that to him? But if I do not then Mossad will own me forever." She paused and played with her hands for a moment before continuing. "He was buried today. I did not go. I almost had myself convinced that it was because I did not want to cut into my time with my children, but that is not the truth. I just did not want to go. I could not face all the people I walked away from. That walked away from me. But I think it was more than that. I think, I think I could not watch as another family member, my _last _family member, is buried. It would make it all too real." She sighed. "I do not even know why I am asking you for advice. It is not as if you can talk back." She laughed despite herself. "Oh you must hate that Jenny, have you ever been silent, ever? You had severe laryngitis once and you still argued with me into the small hours of that Parisian morning." She ran her hands through her hair. "I miss you Jen. We named Alaigha after you. And Tali. I hope you like that. I am sorry I have not come to visit as often as I should. I go away Monday morning, then who knows, it could be only a few days before we meet again." She closed her eyes as a single tear tracked its way down her cheek. "I should go. You know that favour I never collected? May I use it now? If you have any say in it, will you try to make me return to them? To him? Please?" She laid her hand on the cool marble before shoving her hands into her pockets and walking back to her car to go home, to her family, to spend what could be her last few hours with them.


	41. Chapter 41

Author's Note-I love this chapter. I don't know why, it's just one of my favourites. I hope you enjoy it too. Also, kittycat, wow. Thank you so much. NYLF xx

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She let herself in before closing the door and leaning against it. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, she prepared herself to maintain her motherly cover of the world being all smiles and rainbows for the evening. She was more than a little grateful to hear Tony's deep melodic singing coming from the kitchen. She smiled bitter sweetly before toeing off her shoes and entering the kitchen. She carefully wrapped her arms around his waist before resting her head between his shoulder blades.

"Hey." He murmured, gently caressing her clasped hands with the hand that wasn't stirring their dinner. "You alright Baby?" She shrugged against him. He gently squeezed her hands before turning off the stove and turning to face her. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Once the children are asleep, I want to spend time with them tonight, we shall talk later." He nodded in agreement before dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"Oscar! Dinner's ready!" Tony shouted from the kitchen door and they were soon greeted by the rapid padding of small socked feet. "Be careful on the stairs!" He chuckled placing a bowl in front of his chair before going into the lounge and returning with a gurgling Alaigha. "She's happy to see you." Ziva carefully lifted the infant into her arms and held her close, drinking in that perfect baby smell and comforting weight of her in her arms.

"I am happy to see her too." Tony cleared his throat, the weight of the situation, the knowledge that this could be the last weekend they spent together as a family was fast getting to him. He quickly scrubbed at his suspiciously moist eyes before putting a fork and spoon into his now present and settled son's hands and taking a seat beside him while Ziva fed the baby. He watched the smile slowly spread on her face as she watched their baby girl and he felt his heart swell with pride, she'd come so far from where she'd started. He hadn't realised he was staring until she met his gaze with a smile that could almost be considered shy.

"Ima?" Oscar asked slowly, breaking the intimacy of the moment.

"Yes Oscar?" He tilted his head to the side as he considered his question.

"When you go away, can I sleep in your bed?" He asked shyly. The lump in his throat was threatening to stop Tony from being able to swallow his dinner but Ziva simply smiled.

"If you want to my Darling. So long as your father does not mind?" She asked before spotting the struggle her husband was dealing with. She gently stroked her thumb across the back of his hand. A comforting, familiar gesture that seemed to do the trick.

"Of course I don't mind Osc. If you wanna bunk down with me while your mom's away then I have no problems with that." He nodded once before returning to his dinner. "Excuse me." Tony murmured, getting up from the table and swiftly leaving the room. Ziva sighed gently before unlatching a drifting Alaigha and placing her in her baby buggy that they had put in the kitchen so she could sleep but not be far away during meals. She kissed the top of Oscar's head quickly.

"I shall be right back, keep an eye on your sister for me, okay?" He nodded as she stepped out to follow Tony.

She found him, leaning against their outside wall, facing the quickly darkening sky beyond their garden.

"Hey." She greeted, nudging his shoulder with hers as she leant next to him. "I am the one whose hormones are all over the place, I am supposed to burst into tears at the drop of a mat."

"Hat." He sighed. "I'm gonna miss that y'know." He turned to her slightly. "I'm gonna miss everything about you." She met his gaze and her breathing hitched at the level of sheer sadness she found within their sea green depths.

"I ended up at Jenny's grave today. I had been driving around for a while and ended up there."

"Oh?" They very rarely talked about their dear friend; it was still a particularly sore subject for them both.

"I…umm…it is silly." She shook her head before facing the garden once more. Tony gently ran his hand down her bare forearm before lacing their fingers.

"It's not silly Zi." He assured her in a low intimate voice. She sighed.

"I asked her to try to keep me safe, to let me return home to my family." She looked at him with an intense love shining in her gaze that made his heart stutter. "To you." He locked his spare hand into the back of her hair before pulling her to him and kissing her almost desperately. When the kiss came to a natural end, he pulled her into his shoulder and gripped her tightly with both arms as she fisted the back of his shirt. Both told themselves not to cry, neither listened.


	42. Chapter 42

Ziva watched Tony's tense profile as he drove her through the streets in the earlier hours of Monday morning. The happy memories they had been creating all day filled her mind's eye.

They'd spent the whole of Sunday taking pictures, hundreds of them, some with the whole family, some with Ziva and the children, some with Tony and Ziva and some with just Ziva. Tony had even followed her all day with a video camera, making sure that they would never forget her voice. Having lost his mother at a young age, he wanted to make sure that his children never struggled to remember their wonderful mother.

Neither of them shed a single tear until after they'd put the children to bed together. They'd spent more than an hour reading and singing to each of their children, Ziva held them both for as long as she could before they finally nodded off and she relinquished them to their beds. With one last long lingering kiss, she left her babies to sleep peacefully, knowing she'd be long gone before they woke up.

She and Tony had embraced each other as they cried that night. They both knew that while her leaving wasn't definitely the end, the likelihood of her coming back was slim, so they cherished every moment they had together. They'd held each other close, exchanging long, slow, passionate, desperate kisses. When the alarm had gone off at two, they had both woken with a start. She'd assured him she could get a cab, but he insisted on taking her so they'd phoned Gibbs, who had been there immediately to watch the children. Gibbs had hugged her tight for much longer than he normally would have before waving them off.

So there they sat, for the hour long drive, Tony gripping the wheel so tightly that she had actually feared his knuckles would break the skin while she sat slouched into her seat, watching him. He hadn't said a word, much less looked at her for the entire journey. Ziva sighed, not that she expected him to be happy about her leaving to go on a suicide mission, leaving him with two children under the age of four to look after, but the very fact she might not come back should be reason enough to at least talk, shouldn't it? All of a sudden, as if hearing her thoughts, Tony pulled the car over.

"I don't want you to go." He murmured, still not releasing his death grip on the wheel as he stared aimlessly out of the windscreen.

"Tony…" She started soothingly.

"I don't care if you're doing this to protect us from Mossad Zi, I'll protect us." He suddenly looked directly at her, fear singing in his eyes. "I'll protect you." The hoarse whisper that was his voice had her reaching to hold his hand. The moment their hands met, he relaxed and dropped the wheel.

"I love you so much. I know you would protect me and our children with your life if you had to." He nodded enthusiastically before realising the significance of what she'd said. As realisation dawned on his face, a small sad smile graced hers. "I would lay down my life in a heartbeat if it meant keeping you and our babies safe. So I am doing so." He kissed her hand gently before resting his cheek on it.

"I'm scared Ziva." She nodded, tears welling yet again. She swallowed them, it would be a hard transition after all this time, but she had to become Ziva David, Mossad operative. Ziva DiNozzo-David, wife and mother of two wouldn't last two minutes.

"I know. I am too. But I will think of you everyday and I promise to keep in touch if it is possible." He smiled sadly. "I will miss you like crazy." He leaned across the car and kissed her.

"I'll miss you more." She smiled a true, genuine, happy, smile.

"Not possible."

"Sì possibile." He smiled. "I don't wanna wave you off into another man's arms." She chuckled.

"Hey, if your biggest worry is Malachi, then you will be just fine. You have just gotta trust that I will always come home to you." He nodded before kissing her once more and reluctantly starting the engine. She had to do this, he repeated over and over in his head not sure if he was reminding or convincing himself.

He pulled up outside the house and put the car into park, before getting out and opening her door. She raised a hand to Malachi, who was waiting at the front door before facing Tony.

"Keep these safe for me okay?" She murmured tearfully, easing both her engagement and wedding rings off and sliding them onto her Magen Pendent necklace before fasting it around his neck. "I love you." Tony embraced her tightly.

"You'd better come home safe." He murmured into her hair. "I don't know what I'd do if…"

"Hey." She pulled back and laid her hand on his cheek, stroking her thumb back and forth. "I will be safe. I promise." She checked and then slid her knife into her waistband. "Tell Oscar and Leia I love them, and kiss them both for me." Tony pulled her to him, held her tightly with one arm around her waist and the other at the back of her neck and kissed her passionately. When the kiss came to a natural end, he rested his forehead on hers.

"Don't leave me okay?" She kissed him gently.

"You do not get rid of me that easily." She smiled before stepping out of his embrace and rounding the car, walking to meet Malachi before they both got into their car for the airport. He watched her go, waiting until she was out of sight before he got back into the car and started to drive home. She would be fine, she had to be.


	43. Chapter 43

Ziva and Malachi walked onto the plane but it was Zara and Aaron that walked off eight hours later, adjusting their 'only to be switched on in an emergency' earwigs and pulling their coats closed against the cold January air. Malachi wrapped his arm around Ziva's shoulders as he took her bag with the other.

"You okay?" He asked mutedly. She nodded. "Okay. Come on, the hotel is waiting for us."

They unpacked what few belongings they had and hid their impressive collection of weapons before Ziva went to sit on the balcony while Malachi poured them both a drink.

"Are you alright?" He asked breaking her from her trance. She took her drink with a smile.

"It has been a while, that is all." He nodded, understanding completely. She'd been out of the game for so long, he had expected there to be at least some sort of readjustment period.

"Listen, I was thinking maybe we could just order room service for dinner tonight, give you a chance to settle into your cover before having to flaunt it." She smiled at him shyly.

"Would you mind terribly?" He shook his head as he squeezed her hand.

"Not at all." He kissed the top of her head before heading back inside. Ziva was slowly remembering why she'd enjoyed being Zara so much, Malachi was so different when he was in character; he was so sweet and so loving. He was, in short, the perfect husband. She had to force herself not to reprimand herself for that, not even three hours on the job and she was already letting her loyalty to Tony slip, but wasn't that the point? She sighed before draining her glass. She hated going undercover, everything always got so complicated.

They were sat on their bed later that afternoon, case notes and surveillance photos spread between them, a glass of red in their hands.

"Right, so, he…" Ziva pointed at one of the photos.

"Aurville Dagenais." Malachi informed her before sipping his wine.

"Aurville Dagenais, he is the one that does not know that I am supposed to be dead yes?" Malachi nodded. "That means that these three…"

"Montague Flamand, Fiacre Austin and Noël Rousseau." He pointed to them all in turn.

"They are the men who killed Zara the first time yes?" He nodded and she sighed. "Do we really want to be taking on the French?" Malachi laughed before draining his glass and lying down. "What?"

"You never questioned a mission Ziva. You just followed orders." Ziva shuffled all of the paperwork back into various envelopes and slid them into the lockable draw before lying next to him.

"That was a long time ago Mal." She sighed. He turned to face her; her voice was thick and her eyes glossy. He smiled gently before patting his chest. She took his offer and laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arm around him.

"I know." He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arm around her shoulders before covering the hand that was resting at his waist. "I know." There was something ridiculously comforting about being wrapped in Malachi's arms. Not more so than Tony's of course, because he'd always given her that, but for reasons she'd rather not delve into, that night there was no where else she'd rather be.


	44. Chapter 44

After getting back, and trying to sleep for another few hours, safe in the knowledge that she hadn't even left the plane yet, Tony had gotten the kids up. He'd left Oscar to colour in his room while he prepared Alaigha her first bottle.

"Papa?" Oscar's small timid voice barely reached his ears from the lounge doorway. He turned to face his son, whose blanket was tightly grasped in his hand.

"What's up Bud?" Oscar took one step toward him.

"Ima gone?" Tony smiled sadly at him.

"Yeah, your mom's gone, but guess what, we're gonna have pizza tonight! How's that sound?" Tony tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible. The little boy shook his head.

"Ima wouldn't like that. Pizza's not good for us, I heard-ed her." Tony looked around him dramatically.

"But your Ima's not here and what she doesn't know can't hurt her." He chuckled but Oscar wasn't playing. He stamped his foot as his face contorted into the three year old equivalent of Ziva's death glare.

"No! I want Ima to cook! She cooks nicer-er than you!" With that he ran up the stairs and Tony winced as her heard his bedroom door slam.

"Looks like it's just you and me then Princess." Tony sighed gently as he tried to manoeuvre the bottle into his youngest's mouth. She promptly started to cry as she covered her face with her hands. Tony sighed and let his head drop onto the back of the couch. "Oh, this is gonna be fun. Please come home soon Sweetheart."

Several hours later, Tony sat on the floor, desperately trying to get Alaigha to stop crying long enough to take her bottle while talking to Oscar through his door, trying to persuade him to come out. It wasn't working and he was so close to joining both of his children and just cry along with them. He took out his cell, balanced a screaming Leia on his lap and phoned the one person he thought would settle the children faster than anyone else.

"Abby!" He cried down the phone the moment she picked up.

"Oh my God Tony, what's wrong? I mean aside from the obvious. How can I help?" She babbled as she heard him sob down the line.

"Zi's gone. Oscar won't talk to me; he's been locked in his room for hours sobbing his heart out. Leia won't take her bottle. She hates me Abs. She cries every time I go near her and she hasn't eaten since last night. I just don't know what to do." He heard rustling down the line before the tell tale sound of an engine starting.

"I'll be right over. Give me ten minutes." Tony sighed as he put his cell on the floor and tried once more to make his distraught daughter drink. Her cries increased in volume until Tony finally took the hint and put the bottle down.

"Okay, okay. If Miss Princess Leia doesn't want to take her bottle, she doesn't have to, how's that? Hmm?" He gathered her close and started to rock her gently against his shoulder. "Oh, oh, oh." He shushed gently before grimacing as something warm and wet trickled down his back just as the door bell rang. "Great. Cheers Princess. Come on, let's go greet your Auntie Abby and let her deal with a sick-y crying baby and her scared cranky big brother while daddy goes and changes his shirt." He walked down the stairs carefully before opening the door. "Hey, Abby." He greeted tiredly. "Can you, umm, take her and clean her up while I go get changed?" Abby laughed and shook her head before taking the screaming baby.

"Oh baby girl, what's all that noise about huh?" The moment she was in Abby's arms, Alaigha's cries stopped and she looked up at her aunt with interest. "Well now Miss Leia that's better isn't it?" Tony looked on at the pair wistfully with more than a hint of envy. "You really didn't want to cooperate did you little one? Daddy, go get changed. Me and Leia will go get cleaned up and then we'll go see to that big brother of yours huh?" The little girl gurgled, a smile playing in her eyes. Tony ran up the stairs to change his top while Abby followed him up before heading into the nursery for baby wipes and to get Alaigha changed.

Once the baby was dressed in a nice clean baby pink all-in-one and lying peacefully in her arms, Abby knocked on Oscar's door.

"Oscar? It's Auntie Abby. Can I come in Honey?" The door opened slowly to reveal a very tearful three year old, clasping his blanket. "You wanna hug Pumpkin?" He nodded slowly and Abby sank to her knees in his doorway and wrapped her spare arm securely around him. "I know you're upset and frightened and just not very happy right now, but please don't take it out on your dad; he's trying the best he can. And he's hurting too." She felt him nod against her. "Okay?" He pulled back from her. "What's up?"

"I want Ima." He hiccupped. "I want her home." Abby felt tears well in her eyes but she blinked them back.

"I know Sweetheart. We all do. But she has to go off and save the world right now, she'll be home as soon as she can." Oscar tilted his head to the side.

"Like Superman?" Abby giggled.

"Yeah, just like Superman." She rose gently before sitting in his rocking chair and pulling him onto her lap next to his sister. "Oscar? Listen to me okay? Your Ima is brilliant okay? No one's saying anything different, but your daddy's pretty cool too. You three are gonna have an amazing time and then, when your mommy gets home, you can tell her all about it. How does that sound?" She stroked his cheek gently as his thumb found its way to his mouth.

"Leia not happy?" He asked around the digit. Abby smiled gently at the baby who was watching her brother intently, her chocolate eyes as wide as they would go.

"She's missing your mom too and she's not too keen on having to have a bottle. You're gonna have to be a brilliant big brother and help your dad out with her. Can you do that little man? Can you be your daddy's big brave helper?" He nodded against her chest. "Good boy." She placed a kiss to both of their heads before softly humming a lullaby and rocking them back and forth. Tony watched from the doorway, on the verge of tears, wishing his wife were here to see this.


	45. Chapter 45

Author's Note-A lots of questions are answered in this chapter I think. If you can think of any I haven't answered feel free to Private Message me. Some interesting developments as well. Oh, and I love Malachi's last line. Enjoy. NYLF xx

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"Zara?" Malachi asked slowly, shaking the young woman's shoulder in an effort to wake her. She rolled over leisurely, managing to keep her gun under her pillow. "Sweetheart?" Her eyes fluttered open as the smell of freshly brewed coffee hit her.

"Mmm, hi." She murmured sweetly, smiling as she sat up.

"Well hello." He sat beside her and passed her her mug. "How are you feeling?"

"Well." She nodded placing her mug onto the nightstand before stretching her arms above her head.

"We need to get to work today." He looked at her gravely. She nodded and sipped her coffee.

"I know. Give me ten minutes and I shall be all yours." She swung her legs over the side of the bed before sauntering into the bathroom, discreetly clicking the safety on to her gun as she walked. Seconds later Malachi heard the shower run and chuckled into his own drink. He had always marvelled how she could be in role from the very moment she woke up, just like he had always marvelled how she'd never shot herself in her sleep.

Ziva and Malachi walked through the streets while the first few flakes of snow drifted around them. Ziva pulled her coat closer around herself.

"Cold?" Malachi asked, wrapping his arm around her waist. She smiled.

"I am not used to the weather that is all. Even after all these years it is still too cold for my liking." Malachi kissed the top of her head.

"It will be alright. Pretty soon we shall be home again. It is a lovely place to spend our winter vacation though." She nodded, leaning more fully into him, trying to steal his body heat. "Come here." He walked them both down a side alley before pressing her against the wall and kissing her. Ziva knew better than to ask so she simply played along. It was worryingly easy to kiss him, in that cold dank street, even more worrying when she felt her hand weave its way into his hair of its own accord as his arms wrapped around her waist. Just as the world was starting to fade, leaving just the two of them, Malachi pulled away and turned his head to watch the street.

"What happened?" She asked breathlessly, hoping he'd take it as annoyance.

"Austin." Malachi replied softly. He turned to face her, his features softening at the gentle flush in her cheeks. "Sorry, I thought it was a better idea than running into him so early." She shook her head and swallowed.

"Not at all. It is a very good avoidance technique." She followed his hand with her eyes as he tucked her loose curl behind her ear.

"You were thinking about Tony, yes?" He asked against her ear. She hesitated for a second.

"Y-yes." She lied. "Of course I was." Her cheeks reddened further. "Were you thinking of Liat?" The question was soft and gentle, but it still put him on edge.

"Come on." He took her hand less than gently and pulled her back onto the street. She let the subject drop; he would talk about her when he was ready.

They made it to the restaurant they had planned to have lunch at without any more close calls. They ordered without saying a word to each other and they still hadn't progressed to conversation by the time their food had arrived.

"Aaron? Sweetie?" Ziva started, keen to remind him that most married couples don't go out to eat and spend the entire meal in silence. "Aaron?" She took his hand across the table and squeezed it gently.

"I did not love her." She was slightly taken aback by the line of conversation but she knew from experience if she stopped him now, he'd never talk about it. "I mean, I _loved_ her, but I was not_ in lov_e with her." She squeezed his hand again reassuringly. "Before you ask, I did not know that she was going to do what she did. If I had…"

"You would have stopped her." She finished, seeing him struggle was hard. He shook his head.

"No, I could not have even if I had known. She was unhinged, in a big way, Zee, but I would have warned you. I had no idea she was so far gone that she would do what she did with children in the house." He hung his head. "I do not care if it makes me weak, I _am _sorry Zara." She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles softly.

"I do not blame you. I just do not understand why she did what she did." He sighed.

"I think, I think she thought that if she eliminated the head then…" He shook his head.

"The body would die?" He looked at her slowly. "This was all about me wasn't it? She wanted my life, within…" She paused as if trying to find a way to put Mossad without saying it. Malachi saved her the trouble with a nod. "And she thought eliminating Eli would do that?" He shrugged. "Wow." She shook her head with a laugh. "Ah, that is why she did what she did with children in the house. She knew that I was at my most vulnerable while I was…babysitting." Aaron and Zara hadn't had children yet. "She hit me at my weakest. She then killed herself because she had, what, realised what utter nonsense her plan was?" Malachi shrugged, he didn't know either, but it was as good a theory as any.

"This gets worse." She tilted her head to the side, sipping her wine. "She called Leon Vance, on behalf of Eli, to ask him to get Tony out of the house for a few hours." Ziva's throat closed and she spluttered on her wine, drawing attention to herself. Malachi was quickly on his feet, rubbing her back gently, soothingly, apologising in her ear for bringing this up while they were so exposed. Their waitress came rushing over with a glass of water.

"Are you okay ma'am?" The young girl asked. Ziva buried her face in her napkin, embarrassed for causing a scene, but more than that, she'd just drawn attention to them, when they were supposed to be inconspicuous. Malachi took the glass from her and pressed it into Ziva's hand.

"She'll be okay; her wine just went down the wrong way that's all." He chuckled, as if everything was alright, sounding as American as apple pie. The waitress smiled and left them to it while Ziva sipped her water slowly and Malachi returned to his seat. "Well, that was professional."


	46. Chapter 46

"Okay, Princess." Abby started cheerfully, angling the baby in her arms. "We're gonna take this nice and slow, okay Buba?" Leia eyed her apprehensively and Tony held his breath as Abby slowly but expertly slipped the bottle into her mouth. "They are. That isn't so bad is it, baby, huh?" Alaigha started to suckle and before long was drinking happily. Tony sighed in relief.

"I cannot thank you enough Abs." She smiled at him before dropping her gaze to watch the baby girl.

"There's no need to thank me, Tony. She just needs you to be calm or she'll feed off your vibe." She paused before looking up at her friend.

"What?"

"Do you want me to stay? Or maybe take the kids back to mine? Just for tonight, I'm not talking forever and I'm really not saying that you can't cope because I know you can it's just, I can see you've got your hands full enough with coming to terms with Ziva leaving without having to deal with Oscar's tantrums and Alaigha refusing to bond with you." Tony smiled weakly.

"Is it that obvious?" He asked guiltily, running his hand across the back of his neck. She nodded.

"Even more so for them. Kids are perceptive, sometimes more so than we give them credit for." She eased the now empty bottle out of Alaigha's mouth and expertly manoeuvred her onto the towel on her shoulder to burp her. "It's up to you, obviously, but, the offer's there." Abby passed him his now burped baby girl, who settled into his arms immediately. "See you're a natural really." Tony looked down at his drifting daughter wistfully.

"I missed all this with Oscar. He was in the hospital for this bit. I think maybe this is like being a first time dad all over again." He smiled weakly at his friend. She got up slowly, took apart the baby bottle and put it all on the kitchen side before squeezing Tony's shoulder.

"You'll be fine. Even if…" She cleared her throat. "Worst comes to worst, you'll be just fine. I promise." She carefully stroked the baby's forehead. "Do you want me to help with Oscar's tea?"

"Abs, you've done too much already." She shook her head.

"Nonsense. You're my family Tony, it's what family does. Now, I hear pizza is out, so what do you wanna make him?" Tony shrugged.

"Listen, Abby. I know that you're doing this because you love us but I feel like we're imposing on your day." She shook her head.

"Tony. If you _want_ me to leave, then say so. If you're worried _I_ want to leave, then stop worrying and go put your daughter to bed. I'll whip something up for Oscar." She kissed Alaigha's hand softly. "Night night Princess."

True to her word, Abby made Oscar his tea and then sat beside him to make sure he ate it while Tony had a go, and was successful with a little help from Abby, at giving Alaigha her bottle. Once they had finished eating, Abby took Alaigha for a bath while Tony bathed Oscar before tucking him into bed, his own with a little persuasion.

"Ima coming back soon right?" Tony kissed his son's head as he tucked the blankets around him.

"Right." He switched on the nightlight before settling in beside him. Abby popped her head around the door after settling Leia.

"Everything alright in here?" Oscar nodded and Tony couldn't help but smile.

"Papa's about to tell my bedtime story. Would you like to listen Auntie Abby?" She looked to Tony to confirm the invitation.

"You can stay if you like Abs. It's fine with me." Abby took her place, leaning against Oscar's red Ferrari bed, a gift from his father for his second birthday. "Comfy?" Abby and Oscar both nodded simultaneously. "Then I shall begin." Abby chuckled as Tony slipped from his bravado class-clown tone into his soft, melodic reading voice- despite the fact there was no book in his hand- that she knew was saved purely for his children, nieces and nephew. "Once upon a time, there was a very handsome prince, who thought he knew it all and a very very beautiful princess who thought she didn't ever need saving…" She was right. He'd be fine.


	47. Chapter 47

"I am so terribly sorry Zara." Malachi murmured several minutes later. "I should not have told you that while we were so public. It was awful of me." Ziva shook her head.

"I needed to know, Aaron. Do not worry." She slowly brought her glass of water to her lips- she'd forgone the wine in order to prevent another attention drawing episode- as she stared out of the window. Malachi watched her while he slowly ate for at least a quarter of an hour before she suddenly tensed and diverted her gaze to the table, discreetly slipping her gun from her purse.

"Zara, honey, what's wrong?" She looked up at him with a start.

"Huh?" He chuckled.

"You have been staring out of the window for the last fifteen minutes and now you look like you have seen a ghost." She shook her head as she risked a quick glance out of the window. Her suspicions were confirmed as she watched the man that had caught her attention tap his friends on the shoulders and the foursome advanced towards them at speed, grenade launcher emerging from the leader's backpack.

"I haven't but they have!" She pointed at the four men advancing across the street, the other three drawing their weapons as they did. "I think I have just been made!" She got up quickly. "Everybody out! Now!" She screamed just as she watched in horror as the explosive flew through the air, the window and half the restaurant as people ran as far and as fast as they could. When the blast came, most of the restaurant had either left or had taken cover under their up turned tables, the two operatives sat in the blast zone, taking the latter course of action. The four men came in shooting, taking out the remaining civilians in a matter of seconds while Ziva and Malachi made their way to the back of the building. It was a slow and painful trek, consisting of Malachi dragging a semi conscious Ziva through to the kitchen with only one arm, the other was visibly broken at the wrist.

"Ziva! Wake up Zi come on!" Malachi shook her with more force than could be considered gentle. She groaned in pain but opened her eyes fully and positioned her gun at the door. "Can you move? Anything broken?" She did a very quick assessment clutching her pounding, spinning head.

"My leg is broken at least once, I think I am going to be sick and I would be shocked if I did not have a concussion. Apart from that, I think I am okay. You?" He laughed.

"Apart from the compound fracture in my arm? Yeah, I am just fine." She grimaced at the sight of his blood but quickly froze as the gun fire from the other room stopped and hushed French filtered through to them. Suddenly Malachi was dragging Ziva backwards, turning over one of the metal counters and pushing them both against it as the men came in shooting. Bullets ricocheted all around them while they tried in vain to shoot back. Their weapons were largely useless against four AK-47's. Apparently they had only one grenade: a fact that both operatives would have been thankful for, if they had a moment to think it through. Malachi switched on his earwig, having decided that even Mossad would call this an emergency.

"Ziva!" Malachi screamed over the gunfire. "Ziva!" She hadn't moved for several moments and he was now almost certain she was hurt worse then she was letting on.

"Three!" She cried, knowing the question before he'd asked it. Trying to keep her breathing shallow and even she gasped her return. "You?" Malachi was scoping the area when his eye settled on a blind spot that would give them the advantage and perhaps a way out of this without the need for flags and wooden boxes.

"Four! Cover me!" They nodded to each other before Ziva painfully balanced on her uninjured knee and started shooting. Malachi was nearly clear before Ziva's cries filled the room. He turned just in time to watch her hit the ground, falling awkwardly, at very least fighting unconsciousness as a shower of bullets hit her. "Man down! Man down!" Malachi screamed into his earwig, desperately hoping someone, _anyone_ was in the area. "We need back up! We're being killed here!" He repeated the message in Hebrew, trying not to concentrate on his partner whimpering in pain as he shot his last four bullets.

"In-In-Indi-ah." Ziva gasped and panted as she lay behind their makeshift fortress, slowly bleeding. "Hmm."She whimpered before continuing. "Ah, Li-Lim-Lima, ow, ah, Yan-Yan-Yankee, aargh, T-T-T-Tan-Tango." The chaos petered out and ended with several single shots while the world went black for both Ziva and Malachi.


	48. Chapter 48

Abby had left shortly after Oscar had fallen asleep with one last hug and a promise that she was only ever a phone call away. Tony had crawled into bed and held Ziva's pillow to his chest, finding the something that was uniquely her about it comforting. But by ten o'clock, even that wasn't enough and their master suit, as Tony had introduced the large bedroom and attached family bathroom sized ensuite, was just far too big without her. He suddenly understood Gibbs' obsession with bunking on the couch: after Shannon had died, the room that they shared would have held too many memories and far too much space for him to get a fitful night's sleep. So Tony found himself sleeping on the couch that night, and the next, and the next. On the fourth day since Ziva had left with Malachi, Tony's cell jolted him from sleep before Oscar or Alaigha had had a chance.

"Ziva?" He answered hopefully. He heard his boss sigh on the other end of the phone.

"'Fraid not Tony." Gibbs murmured. "Director wants you in. Mossad are in MTAC in an hour." Tony looked at his watch, half seven, plenty of time to get the kids dressed and ready before driving to the navy yard.

"Okay, I'll be there at eight boss." He was about to hang up when he heard Gibbs call his name. "Yeah?" Gibbs sighed.

"I'm guessing from the way you're answering your phone that there's been no word?" Tony sat up and ran his hand over his face before finally settling for holding the bridge of his nose.

"I guess we just gotta hope that Mossad wanting a video conference means they have news huh?"

"I guess." Both men hung up and Tony slowly rose to his feet, wincing as several things popped in his back. He chuckled as he thought how badly Ziva would tell him off for sleeping on the couch before silently climbing the stairs. He leant his ear against the wood of Oscar's door and the soft snores coming from within confirmed that his eldest was still asleep. When he repeated the motion with his youngest however he could hear her gurgling to herself. He chuckled as he opened the door.

"You talking Princess?" He asked quietly and happily as he leaned over the crib and lifted out his seemingly happy daughter. "We need to go to work today Principessa, people might have news about your Ima." He smiled at her and she gurgled appreciatively. "So, daddy needs a shower because he's been sleeping on the couch because daddy's silly isn't he Honey hmm?" He nodded at her enthusiastically. "So, how about you come join your silly daddy in the shower and then, we'll get you fed and dressed, not necessarily in that order, and the get your big brother up. Yeah? Sound good little one?" He tapped the end of her nose lightly and she blew a raspberry at him, making his smile widen. "Okay, shower time."

After his purposefully out of tune rendition of 'My Girl' woke Oscar up, Tony had been quick to finish up, wrap Alaigha in a towel and get himself dressed before going to see him. He pushed open the door with his hip while cradling his squirmy baby with both of his hands.

"Hey Bud." He greeted, sitting on the edge of the bed while Oscar sat up and rubbed his eyes with his fists. Tony couldn't help the smile that formed on his face as he took in the toddler's appearance. He had clearly only been awake for a matter of minutes: his eyes were still half shut and his thick chocolate curls were sticking up at odd angles.

"Got-s to get up?" He asked sleepily. Tony nodded, readjusting Leia as she tried to escape.

"Yeah, we've got to pop to NCIS for a bit. You want me to help you get dressed?" He nodded, as if his head were too heavy to hold up, before lying back down on his side, his thumb firmly in his mouth. "Okay." He whispered, stroking his curls, just as uncooperative as his mother's, before getting up. "I'll just get your sister dressed then I'll come help you yeah?" Oscar snuggled deeper into his covers as Tony left the room to dress the baby.

Tony walked into MTAC at eight exactly, having deposited the children with Jimmy. Before him sat Vance, Gibbs, McGee, and Abby, all of whom were watching a blank screen.

"Hey." Tony greeted taking a seat beside Abby. She turned to face him in curiosity. "What?"

"How are you?" Tony shrugged.

"I'm coping, the kids are getting there: we'll be fine till she gets back." They shared a small smile, before turning to face the screen. They all sat there, in silence, until one of the techs cued them in.

"Director Vance, Deputy Director Abdul Haik." The silver haired, well dressed man on the screen started. The group stood.

"Deputy Director." Vance greeted. "As wonderful as contact from Mossad is, am I to assume your call is not a social one? That you have news on my agent?" Haik removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, Tony's heart sunk.

"We received a transmission this morning. The device was badly damaged but the data was retrievable." Vance looked pensively at the team behind him.

"Should I ask her husband to leave the room?" As if only just noticing the others were there, Haik raised his head and smiled sadly directly at Tony.

"No. He should stay; he needs to hear this as much as you do. It will give him closure." Abby gasped almost inaudibly. Haik motioned for the tape to be run, while his screen went dark.

The sound of gun fire echoed through MTAC. Tony wrung his hands as he listened to the sound and stared at the black screen.

"Ziva!" Malachi screamed. "Ziva!"

"Three!" He heard Ziva cry and it wrenched at Tony's heart. "You?"

"Four! Cover me!" The gun shots increased before Ziva's cries filled the room and Tony sank to his knees. "Man down! Man down!" Malachi screamed into presumably his coms unit. "We need back up! We're being killed here!" He repeated the message in Hebrew but the team were too preoccupied with Ziva's crying.

"In-In-Indi-ah." She gasped and panted through the pain. "Hmm." Her whimpering tore apart every heart in that room. "Ah, Li-Lim-Lima, ow, ah, Yan-Yan-Yankee, aargh, T-T-T-Tan-Tango." The feed went silent and they were blind, the sound of her gasped breaths filling their minds. Every eye was suddenly on Tony as he knelt on the floor, holding her pendant and rings tightly in his hand.

"What's India Lima Yankee Tango?" Gibbs asked insistently. Abby put her hand on his shoulder, trying to sooth him.

"Gibbs, India Lima Yankee means I love you. I'm presuming Tango was meant as Tony." She turned to her friend. "What I don't get is why did she say it like that? 'I love you Tony' is easier and quicker, I don't understand." Tony laughed: a humourless sound.

"Before she went away, she told me how much she'd enjoyed being Zara the first time around. She was scared she'd enjoy it too much this time so I told her to promise me something. I said that if she wanted to be Zara then I'd hate it, but if it made her happy I'd get over it. But if she wanted to come home to me, if she was still loyal to NCIS, to our family and she was in trouble, then she was to send her final message in phonetics. Malachi would be none the wiser as to the true meaning of the message." He sighed. "She was loyal to us…to her final breath. That's my girl."

"What do you mean to her final breath? She's not dead, she's not!" Abby cried until McGee pulled her into a tight embrace. She sobbed into his shoulder while Gibbs crouched beside Tony.

"I'm okay Gibbs." He got up and straightened his jacket. "I need to go collect the children. Call me when her body's found." He walked calmly up the ramp and out of the doors leaving his stunned family to watch.

"Gibbs? How is he, I mean, how can he just give up on her like that?" McGee asked, holding Abby tighter as her sobs become more violent. The silver haired agent ran a hand across his forehead; his headache was becoming a full blown migraine.

"He hasn't given up on her, he's preparing himself. In case he's right. Let's all be honest here, that didn't sound promising."


	49. Chapter 49

Tony collected the children and drove them home without saying a single word. He listened to the laughter in his son's voice as he told his sister all about how much fun their Uncle was and how, when she was a bit bigger, she could race Kayla like he and their cousins did. How was he going to break the news that his mother probably wasn't coming home? Tony pulled into the drive way with a sigh, got the children out and let them all in before putting Alaigha down for a nap and making the breakfast they had bypassed earlier.

It was several hours later before Tony actually spoke. He was sat on the couch while both of the kids were having a nap upstairs and pulled out his cell.

"Gibbs." The guff voice sounded down the line.

"Hey, boss." Tony sighed. "Any more news?"

"Not yet." The older man sighed. "Are you okay?" Tony leant back into the couch, tired and defeated.

"I need a comfier couch." Gibbs laughed sadly.

"Bed too big without her?" He asked knowingly.

"Yeah." He ran a hand through his hair. "Gibbs can I ask you something that my wife potentially classified?"

"You can ask." Tony laughed.

"You gonna tell me if I do?"

"Not if it's classified." Tony smiled.

"Fair enough." He took a deep breath, wondering how he would ask. "Did she say anything to you, before she left? Tell you where they were going? What to do in an emergency? Did she have a backup plan?" Gibbs sighed and Tony knew the response before he had even opened his mouth.

"Her location is classified. No matter what has happened to her, that must _stay_ classified. Really, she shouldn't have told me, but she did. That doesn't mean, however, that I can tell you."

"She's not in Paris, is she?" Gibbs smiled slightly.

"No." Gibbs hung up before he could give anything else away. With a small smile, Tony put down his phone and checked his watch: it was time to get Oscar up.

They played all day, periodically joined by Alaigha. Tony refused to cry in front of his children and wouldn't tell them until they had hard proof that Ziva wasn't coming back to them. He wouldn't tell them she was gone if she was just gonna walk back into their lives in a week or two. He lived for his family and wouldn't let his children be played around with like that. They spent the next three days playing. Oscar had never smiled so much and it was that, that kept Tony going. His life may be being torn apart at the seams but his children were happy, and that, for now at least, was enough. A week after that day in MTAC, Tony left the Alaigha with Abby, took Oscar to day-care and went back to his desk. He needed normal, and everything in that house reminded him of what he had lost. Of his wife. Of her.


	50. Chapter 50

Author's Note-Tissue Warning!

* * *

The whole agency could feel the gap that Ziva's not being there had caused. People who worked three floors below the MCRT, who had never even spoken to the woman, felt her absence. But no one, more than the three agents sat around her empty desk. Gibbs still paused as he passed her desk, rested his finger tips on the wood and said a silent prayer, McGee would look up and smile every so often, as if she was still sat there and Tony tried to ignore it the best he could, but he found himself lost in memories far too often, staring at her desk. Gibbs didn't have the heart to head slap his mind back into his job, he and McGee could pick up the slack. They would catch their falling friend, every time he got too close to the edge. Director Vance, to his credit, passed all of the major cases onto the second team. He wouldn't make them work one short, not again.

Exactly ten days after they'd heard her cry her love to Tony in MTAC, Abby was talking quietly to McGee and Jimmy was playing with Oscar just outside the bullpen while Alaigha lay sleeping when Gibbs' phone rang for the first time. The group, including Ducky who had just arrived to speak to Gibbs, looked up, shocked at the intrusion into their little bubble. "Yeah Gibbs." He answered the phone before swiftly passing it to Tony. "Director wants to talk to you."

"Yeah?" He asked apprehensively.

"Agent DiNozzo, I would tell you this in person but I think you need your family more than me right now." Vance told him thickly. "I have received a phone call from Mossad." Tony shook his head.

"No, please no. She can't be." The team all held their breath.

"I am so sorry Tony. They're presuming her dead. They've stopped looking." Tony had barely put down the phone before huge screamed sobs left him as he sank to his knees and wept. Abby tried to hug him but he pushed her away almost violently. He'd tried to prepare himself for this, but nothing ever could. She was gone, his wife, his friend, the love of his life, the reason he got out of bed every day. She was gone. And she was never coming back. He sobbed and rocked as he sat behind her desk. The seconds passed and a hush fell across the whole floor, as if the universe had decided that they all needed a moment to remember their fallen agent. Abby wept in McGee's arms and Ducky laid a hand on Gibbs shoulder, both had tears in their eyes. Jimmy stood by the entrance holding Oscar and Alaigha tightly.

"Uncle Jimmy…?" Oscar started but Jimmy shushed him. How would they tell a three year old that his mummy was never coming home? How would Tony cope being a single dad? The elevator rang out and for a moment they all actually hoped it would be her. She'd march over to them and ask what she'd missed. But it wasn't her. Malachi walked with a limp and his arm was in a sling. He looked about thirty years older than he was.

"You shouldn't be here." McGee warned him, the first one to notice him.

"I do not wish to intrude." Tony was stood toe to toe with him in seconds.

"Why didn't you protect her?" He cried. Malachi hung his head.

"I tried. I promise you, I tried. Here." He took out a presumably once white envelope. "If anything happened to her, I was to give this to you." Tony held it close, his name written in her hand lying against his chest. "I am so sorry." Tony carefully placed the envelope into his breast pocket before placing a hand on the man's shoulder.

"I don't blame you." Tears welled in Malachi's eyes. "I know how much you cared for her, I'm sure you did all you could." As the Israeli dissolved into tears, Tony pulled him into a fierce hug. They clung to each other as they sobbed. Director Vance stood leaning against the railing of the walkway as he watched his best team fall apart. He had heard how much Agent Todd's death had affected them but Ziva was family. He wasn't sure how they'd come back from this. Gibbs slowly stood and ascended the stairs to stand beside him.

"How are they?"

"How'd you think they are Leon? Ziva's family." Gibbs answered him thickly.

"I know. I'd like to offer my condolences to Tony but I don't think it'd be appreciated." Gibbs laughed half-heartedly.

"No. Probably not." He shook his head as he watched Tony take Oscar and sit him on his hip. He held him close. "How are we gonna tell that kid that his mom's dead?" Leon shrugged.

"I have no idea. I don't know how I'd tell mine." They both turned away to face the wall.

"How are we gonna come back from this?" That was the question. When the elevator arrived this time, no one looked up. She wasn't coming back.


	51. Chapter 51

Author's Note-Tissue Warning!

* * *

He couldn't see through the tears, so Abby drove them home in his car. Oscar looked so scared, his father sobbing beside him while the rest of his family fought it so they could support him. No one had told him what was going on, no one knew how. Abby pulled the car onto the drive and got Alaigha out before helping Oscar down and closing the door, leaving Tony to breakdown away from his children. She made quick work of feeding and changing Alaigha before getting out Oscar's colouring things.

"Oscar, baby, why don't you draw your Ima for me? Draw her from your memories." Abby hoped and prayed that he would always remember the fantastic woman that had gone through so much to bring him into the world. She left him to draw and looked through the curtain at Tony. He had curled up in the front seat, rocking from the force of the sobs leaving him. Abby's heart broke just that little bit more as she watched him. He had wasted so much time dancing around her and now he'd never get one more chance to tell her he loved her, to say goodnight, goodbye. She sighed deeply and phoned Gibbs.

"How is he Abs?" He answered thickly, he'd never admit it, and she'd never say a word, but she knew he'd been crying. He'd lost another daughter, and it was killing him.

"You need to come get the kids Gibbs. He's falling apart. He can't do this, not tonight." Abby told him, trying to keep her voice steady. While Tony fell, they'd all have to be the children's rock. She heard him clear his throat and grab his keys.

"Pack 'em a bag Abs. I'm on my way." She hung up the phone and planted a kiss on the top of Oscar's head as she ascended the stairs to pack them overnight bags.

Less than fifteen minutes later, Gibbs pulled up beside Tony's car and parked, before opening the passenger door of the car beside him and pulling his senior agent into a tight embrace. He held him as he sobbed into his shoulder. He knew there was nothing he could say that would make this any easier so he stayed his silent pillar of strength, as always. He made sure he wasn't the first one to break the embrace. He let Tony dictate how long he needed. After a couple of minutes, Tony moved just enough to release his grip on his father figure and Gibbs obliged, taking a single step backward.

"It gets easier." He wouldn't tell him he'd be fine, or that he'd get over it. He wouldn't lie to him. Tony nodded, trying to stop hiccupping. Gibbs patted his back gently. "Abby called me. I'm gonna take the kids for the night." There was no protest in Tony's gaze, he had no fight left in him, and that scared Gibbs more than anything else. "You're welcome to come too." The younger man shook his head.

"I just…I wanna be alone tonight. I guess…" He took the deepest breath his lungs would support before releasing it shakily. "I guess I should get used to it huh?" Gibbs smiled sadly, as much as it pained him, he was right. He patted his shoulder just once before walking past him to meet Abby. He took the stairs two at a time, heading straight to the nursery. With carful, caring hands, he lifted Alaigha out of her cot and held her close to his chest. Her tiny hand curled around one of the tassels of his hoodie as he gently held her. With a smile at his youngest grandchild, he started to pack things into the baby bag, enough for a couple of days, just in case. Once he was done, he crossed the hall to find Abby slumped against Oscar's chest of draws, tears pouring down her cheeks as she played with Oscar's Magen David necklace.

"He should be wearing it. She'd want him to. He should remember his heritage." Abby sobbed. Gibbs sighed before kneeling beside her. She turned to face him and, with a soft smile, Gibbs wiped away her mascara lines with the pad of his thumb.

"Then go put it on him. Have you got his bag?" She held up his backpack, full of neatly folded outfits: she'd clearly had the same idea. "Good. I'll get their seats transferred and you get them ready. See if Tony is up to saying goodbye."

Tony put his cell down on the coffee table in front of him after calling to make sure the children were asleep and picked up his third beer of the night. He leant back into the couch as he pressed play on the DVD player.

"Tony! Honestly, must you follow me everywhere with that thing?" Ziva's happy laughing voice filled the room. "Go entertain your children while I cook will you?" The spatula she was holding disappeared from shot and Tony yelped before laughing. "Now." She pointed at him with the utensil. "Go will you."

"Nope." Tony replied playfully. She laughed, smiling brightly.

"Fine. Then just stay out of the way will you?" A few minutes passed with the camera watching her cook when suddenly, a handful of flour floated over Ziva's head. She cried out playfully and the camera was quickly set down on the table while the two adults had a flour fight in the middle of the kitchen before ending up, both coated in the powder, in each other's arms. Tony kissed her gently before pulling back and shaking his head, making her laugh even harder. Back in the present time, tears streamed down Tony's face as he paused the screen on Ziva's happy, smiling face. He finished his beer in two gulps before rising to get the vodka. He heard her in his head, telling him to not be silly.

"But you're not here." He told the house bitterly. "If you were, oh baby, if you were the world would still make sense." He finished softly before pouring, and drinking, five consecutive shots. He played the DVD once more, and was soon asleep, listening to her laugh, praying to everyone he could think of to send her back to him. "Please Jen. Make good on your promise. Give her back to me."


	52. Chapter 52

Author's Note-Major MAJOR tissue warning! Like, get ready to use more than one major. NYLF xx

* * *

Tony woke up the next morning, with a tremendous headache. He managed to half crawl to the ensuite before settling in for the day. He tried hard to remember at what point he'd forgotten he was far too old to be this hung-over on a school day but, when his head pounded in protest, he abandoned complex thought.

After several hours, now with a completely empty stomach, he was finally able to get up off the bathroom floor and crawl into bed. While it was still far too big without her, it was warm and comforting and it smelled like her. After wrapping himself around her pillow, Tony drifted off into a restless sleep.

It couldn't have been more than two hours when the shrill ringing of his cell ripped him from Ziva's arms and back into reality. With a groan, he sat up and answered the contraption.

"What?"

"Just thought you'd want an update. Alaigha was up a couple of times in the night, and Oscar wet the bed. I think he's stressed out with all that's going in." Tony sighed.

"Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he cried for a bit. I think he was worried I'd get mad. But he's okay. They've both had breakfast. Leia's sleeping and Oscar's playing." Tony checked the clock, just after nine.

"You want me to come get them?" Gibbs sighed.

"I can have them for as long as you need me too. If you _want _to come get them then you are more than welcome, but if you're not ready…" He left the sentence hanging. Tony rolled his shoulder and heard a rustling sound that confused him. He patted down his chest and his fingers came into contact with the envelope he had forgotten. He pulled it out and laid it out in front of him.

"I'll call again in a couple of hours, let you know. Call if you need me." They both hung up and while Gibbs went to entertain his grandchildren, Tony slowly opened the envelope that would contain the last thing he'd ever hear from his wife.

"Dear Tony." He gulped as he heard her voice in his head. Clear as crystal he heard her speak to him. "If you are reading this, oh how cliché, something went wrong and I am not coming home to you. I want you to know, you would have been my last thought. You were my life and I love you. I will not ever stop loving you. Wherever I end up, I want you to know that I will always be loyal to you, I will always be your wife, and you will always mean the world to me. I know, at times, you will hate me for leaving- Oscar's first day at school, Alaigha's first birthday- I know. But please, remember that just because I am not there in body, does not mean I am not there. I will always be in your heart. Long after you have moved on, gotten married again, maybe even had more children, I will still be watching over you with a smile on my face. I want you to be happy, Tony. If that means getting remarried then you have my blessing my Darling. I do not want you to sit at home, waiting for me, forever. If you want to honour my memory, you will live your life. Move on, be happy. I know this hurts, I promise you, if I could take away this pain I would. I hope I can at least relieve it just a little with this. I am aware that you will cry whilst reading this." He laughed as he wiped away the tears. "I know you far too well to pretend this will not make it hurt all the more in the short term. I can only hope, one day, you will be able to read this without crying. That you will one day find comfort and solace in my words rather than pain. I love you so much Anthony D. DiNozzo, I wanted so much to be your wife until we were both old. To hold your hand at our son's wedding, to cry as you kiss our daughter on the cheek at the end of the aisle at hers, to smile at you when you hold our first grandchild, to pass you a tissue on their first day at school. I spent the rest of my life with you; I just hoped we would have a little longer. If I have any regrets, it is only that we spent so long denying our love for each other."His heart ached as he saw her tear stains. "Oh I promised myself I would not cry. I am sorry my Angel. I promise you, I will be happy. No, I will not have you, or our angels, or the team. But I will have my Ima, and Tali, and Ari, and yes, even my father. I will be with my blood. I hope that gives you some comfort. If it does not, then think that I will be with Jenny, and I shall finally get to meet Kate. I shall not ask you to forget me, not after I have asked both of our children to remember, but I do ask that you do not dwell on my death. If you remember me, remember my smile, my laugh, the love that shines in my eyes every time I think of you. Remember how much I love you. Remember the way I smile and tremble every time you touch me. Remember how much I love you. Remember my life, my Dear, not my death. I am not sure how one should end a letter such as this. I love you seems far too insufficient, goodbye far too hard. I want you to know you will be okay. I guess I should say goodbye at some point. I do not want to. I hope and pray with every fibre of my body that you never have to see this letter. But, if you do, then please know, I will have tried so hard to come home to you. I never would have given up. I would have done everything in my power to return to your side. And though I shall not be there anymore, I will never leave your heart. Goodbye, my wonderful, wonderful husband. I love you so very much. Be happy, be safe but mostly, never, ever stop being you. All my love and forever yours, your wife, your Zi, Ziva DiNozzo." Tony held her letter to his heart and sobbed.


	53. Chapter 53

Author's Note-A wee bit sad at the beginning but I doubt you'll need tissues for this one. NYLF

* * *

He hadn't realised he'd fallen asleep until Gibbs phoned so he could say goodnight to the kids. After performing his fatherly duties, Tony trudged downstairs and had just broken out the vodka again when there was a knock at the door. His heart rate rose stupidly as for half a second he truly believed it could be her, it wasn't of course. McGee stood in the door way with a pizza and a sad smile.

"I thought you could use the company." Tony walked back into the house, leaving the door open, wordlessly inviting him in. McGee followed him in and put the pizza on the coffee table before taking the vodka and putting in back in the freezer. Tony shot him a pained look. "You need to take care of yourself. You need to start shaving again and you need to stop drinking. She may be gone, but you've still got your two babies to look after." Tony slumped into the couch. "You wanna talk?" McGee looked at him just in time to see him shrug. The younger man sighed, shut the freezer and rejoined his friend on the couch. "Gibbs still got them?" He nodded. "Tony, I don't like seeing you like this. It's kinda scary. I promise Ziva before she left that I'd look out for you. I promised to make sure you shower and shave and don't drink yourself stupid. Now, I've given you a few days, because that's what you needed but now you need to get your act together. So eat the pizza, watch a movie and go shave. Okay?" A tear slipped down Tony's cheek as he reached for the pizza and started eating. He'd never be able to voice how grateful he was for someone else taking control.

It was several hours later and a now clean shaven Tony was sat sobbing in McGee's arms on the couch.

"It's okay. I know. I know." McGee soothed, gently rubbing his back.

"I'm just…I'm so fed up of having to be the adult. Yeah, I get that the kids have lost their mom, and I've gotta be strong for them, and at some point _tell _them. But I've just lost my wife, my best friend." He sobbed. "How am I supposed to be strong for my children when I'm falling apart?" McGee squeezed his shoulder gently.

"You're allowed to fall apart Tony. We'll support the kids. We'll stay strong for them. Ziva was your life, we all get that. You need time to fall apart too." Tony cried out loud and McGee gripped him tighter. "It's okay." He knew how insufficient his words were but he couldn't think of anything else to say. He held him until he felt his breathing even out and he became a dead weight in his arms. McGee carefully laid him down and tucked a blanket around him before texting Abby. He stayed that night, sleeping in the recliner. If he could, he would catch his brother before he fell.

After making sure he'd eaten breakfast, McGee left Tony to it. He needed to support him, but mollycoddling him wouldn't help. Tony thanked him, which seemed far too inadequate a sentiment before phoning Gibbs. He'd collect the children in a few hours, once he'd cleaned the house from top to bottom.

Tony pulled the car into Gibbs' drive before letting himself in. He headed straight down to the basement.

"Hello?" He called as he descended the stairs. Gibbs held out a hand in greeting while the other was securely wrapped around Oscar's, who was carefully sanding the newest boat. "Hey. You having fun kid?" His son nodded and Tony smiled on while he tickled his baby girl, who had been silently watching her big brother. Her huge smile filled her face and Tony's heart sank. Her first smile, the first in a long line of milestones her mother would miss. Still, he picked her up and gently spun her round before holding her upright, her head and back resting on his chest while he held her securely so she could watch her brother work. Gibbs looked up just long enough to tap Leia's nose, making his youngest grandchild smile, before turning his attention back to the three year old. "How've they been?"

"Perfect, as always. You gonna tell 'em yet?" Tony quickly flickered his attention to see if Oscar was paying attention to the conversation, he wasn't.

"I don't want to, just in case…" Gibbs turned to face him with a mixture of sternness and care that only a parent can achieve.

"You gonna wait forever?" He shrugged, adjusting Leia so he could see her.

"So Princess, you have fun at Grandpa's?" He asked the baby, stroking her soft brown hair gently. She smiled up at him. "Did you baby girl?" He asked enthusiastically. "Well, I'm gonna take you home in a minute, yes I am Principessa and then, we can go to the park so long as it's not snowing and if it is, we'll all camp out in the lounge huh?" Oscar turned around sharply, nearly sanding his finger as he did.

"We're going?" He asked, slightly fearful for a reason Tony couldn't quite understand.

"Yeah bud. We'll just go grab your things and then we'll get going." Oscar jumped down off the work bench and ran to the corner of the room furthest from the stairs.

"No." Tony put Leia back in her baby seat before crouching down in front of Oscar.

"Oscar, son, we need to go home now." He said calmly. Oscar shook his head.

"No!" He shouted. Tony startled slightly as Alaigha started to cry. Gibbs was quick to comfort her.

"Oscar." Tony remained calm despite the commotion. "You are going to say goodbye to your grandfather and then you are going to collect your things and get in the car."

"No! Won't! Shan't!" Oscar shouted, almost cowering in the corner. His behaviour was worrying his father slightly but he wouldn't let it show on his face.

"Okay. I'm going to count to three. One." He paused, cocking his eyebrow at his son. "Two." Oscar crossed his arms in defiance. "Three. Okay, you're not getting candy this weekend." Oscar didn't even look up. "Shall I count again?" The toddler didn't move. Tony sighed. "Okay Oscar, have it your way. One...Two." Oscar shifted his weight from one foot to the other so Tony gave him a chance. "Two and a half." He didn't take it. "Three. Right, no bedtime stories for a week." The look of horror on the little boy's face was almost enough for him to take it back, but Tony knew he had to be strong.

"Ima would let me stay!" Oscar stated petulantly. Gibbs tensed, hoping the younger man could keep his cool but Tony simply took a deep breath.

"Your Ima isn't here. Now, if I have to count again Oscar you will loose your lab privileges. One." Both adults could see that Oscar was considering it.

"But…everyone else gets to go." Tony didn't acknowledge the statement.

"Two." Oscar stomped his feet and threw his arms to his sides.

"Fine!" He screamed, stomping up the basement stairs to go collect his things. Tony got up and rubbed his neck self consciously at Gibbs' smile.

"Sorry about that." Gibbs shook his head, putting Leia back into her seat.

"Don't be. It's good to see Ziver didn't always wear the trousers in your relationship." They both chuckled. "So tell me, what were you gonna do with him if you'd have gotten to three?" Tony shrugged with a chuckle.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to get that far. To be honest, I was surprised he didn't stop at the candy. Me and Zi started employing the one, two, three technique when he was about two. We've only ever had to get to three the first time a handful of times, a second time even fewer. I think we once got to three a third time. That was a big tantrum though. That's the first time I've had to do it. I usually just backed Zi up." He gently held Alaigha's hand in his. "Did I do alright?" Gibbs smiled.

"You did good. I was a bit worried when he mentioned Ziver but you handled yourself very well." Tony gathered up the baby.

"I guess I should go check he hasn't destroyed the place." Gibbs chuckled along with him before running his hand across his forehead. "Headache boss?" He waved him off.

"It's nothing. Don't worry." Tony looked at him sceptically for only a moment before passing him and going up the stairs to collect the baby's things and his clearly still unhappy toddler. The sooner he got them settled into a new routine the better.


	54. Chapter 54

Author's Note-Ridiculously short. Sorry. But it made sense to end it where I did. NYLF

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Tony had taken the children home and put Oscar straight upstairs before sitting in Alaigha's room, playing with her for several hours before the door opened slowly.

"You ready to apologise for your behaviour?" He asked without looking up. Oscar hiccupped as he stood in the doorway.

"I'm sorry Papa. I didn't mean to be bad." Tony looked up at his son with caring calm eyes. He beckoned him with a wave.

"Come here." The small boy ran into his daddy's lap. Tony held him tightly as he sobbed against his shoulder. "I forgive you. Now, you wanna tell me _why _you were bad?" Oscar looked up at him.

"I want Ima to come home now. I want you all to stop being sad." His small, sad voice tore through Tony's heart. He pulled his son back into his body and held him close.

"I know. I do too." He kissed to top of his head. "Come on. You gonna phone your Grandpa and apologise to him?" He felt him nod against him before he set him down. "Play with your sister, I'll be right back." Tony left the room and leant against the wall, taking a deep breath, before he went to get his cell and dialled Gibbs's number.

They had all gotten back on track by bedtime, and even sans his story, Oscar was out like a light, good as gold. Tony had made it to his bed that night too. He even slept somewhat peacefully before he was interrupted by his ringing cell at half four. He reached for the device quickly before noticing that Oscar had crawled into bed with him at some point. He pulled him closer, letting him snuggle into his side as he answered the phone.

"Hello?" He heard a woman clear her throat on the other end.

"Hello, I am sorry to be phoning so late, but may I speak to Mr Anthony DiNozzo?" Tony shifted slightly.

"Speaking." He heard paper rustle.

"Ah, good morning Mr DiNozzo. How soon can you get to Bethesda Naval Hospital Sir?" Tony sat bolt upright, not even disturbing his son, who evidently slept more like him than Ziva.

"W-why?" A hospital visit in the small hours of the morning was never good.

"Because Sir, you are listed as next of kin of one Ziva DiNozzo…"


	55. Chapter 55

Author's Note-WOW! I knew you'd all be happy but sixteen reviews! Wow. I cannot thank you all enough. Do we feel better now?

* * *

Tony jumped out of bed like he'd been shocked. He hung up the phone quickly and phoned Gibbs.

"Yeah, Gibbs." He grumbled. Tony could barely contain his volume.

"She's safe. Well not safe, she's in hospital, Bethesda just called. They have her. She's alive. She's okay." He babbled, closing the ensuite door behind him so he didn't need to be as quiet.

"Wait, what?" Tony sighed.

"Ziva." He stated slowly. "Bethesda just phoned. She's there." He heard a clatter- Gibbs had dropped the phone- before his boss' voice came back down the line.

"Get over to Palmer's, drop off the kids. I'll phone ahead. And then I'll phone everyone else." He hung up and Tony realised he was crying. For the first time since Malachi had walked back into their lives, with happiness. He very quickly got dressed, then, carefully so as not to wake them, got the children into the car, still in their pyjamas. He drove as quickly as was safe over to Jimmy's. Breena met him at the door.

"Here." She settled Oscar onto her hip and took Alaigha in her spare arm. "I've got them. Take Jimmy with you, go see your wife." She smiled while Jimmy appeared behind her, pulling a shirt on as he did. She stepped back into the house and Jimmy jumped into the passenger seat. Tony followed suit and peeled out of the driveway so fast that Jimmy was sure both Ziva and Gibbs would be proud.

By the time he arrived at the reception desk, Gibbs and Ducky were already there. Both men went to sit down beside them.

"Abby and McGee are dropping off their three with Breena, they should be here soon." Gibbs informed them. "Ziver's in surgery. I'm down as her second next of kin so I signed the consent form. Didn't think you'd mind." Tony shook his head numbly. It was only just starting to sink in; Ziva was alive. Still not safe, she'd presumably been transferred from a hospital wherever she was to here and was now in surgery, potentially _back_ in surgery. But she was in the best hands she could be. All of a sudden it was just too much for the poor man. Tony was on his knees, sobbing with relief, before anyone could catch him. Abby and McGee chose that moment to walk in and all the colour drained from both of their faces.

"We've had no news." Ducky assured them. "I think that is relief." Both team members took their seats beside their family. In the minutes that followed, several nurses walked past them, most of which at least one member of the group recognised.

"Kirsty?" Abby asked the second time the young blonde nurse walked past.

"Oh goodness Abby. What are you doing here this time? Nothing serious I hope?" Abby smiled sadly.

"I don't suppose you could go and check if there's any news on Ziva DiNozzo, can you?" Kirsty nodded her head.

"Of course, I'll go see what I can find out." They exchanged smiles before Abby took her seat again.

"She was on shift when Ducky was stabbed, and when Ziva was shot a few years ago. We got to talking." She supplied in answer to the questioning looks. More than ten minutes later, Kirsty appeared again. "Any news?"

"She was transferred here from The Royal London Hospital**,** London, England. She's currently in surgery. She's pretty bad. That's all I know, sorry." Abby laid a hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"Thanks Kirsty. That's great." Tony was staring into space as Kirsty disappeared back through the doors and Abby took her seat.

"She was in London. You knew?" He asked, not turning round.

"Yeah." The group jumped as Gibbs answered.

"Didn't feel like telling me huh?" Gibbs sighed.

"I told you. Classified." Tony slipped back into his seat. "If I could've…" Tony nodded.

"I know."

Several hours later saw Abby nearly asleep on McGee's shoulder, Jimmy drifting with his head leant back against the wall behind him, Gibbs sipping his third coffee, Ducky reading and Tony sat with his forearms on his legs, his head hanging between them. The doors in front of them opened and a doctor that couldn't be much older than thirty entered, taking off his surgical cap as he did.

"Next of kin for Ziva DiNozzo?" Tony was on his feet immediately.

"Husband." He supplied and the doctor nodded.

"Mrs. DiNozzo was badly injured when she came to us. Royal London managed to stabilize her but she started to bleed out when she got here. Her right leg is badly broken in two places; she's cracked her shin and broken her femur. We have pinned that and are now waiting for the swelling to go down before we put her in a hard cast. She has a grade three concussion and she has multiple bullet wounds. We lost her twice on the table. She is very, _very _lucky to be alive Sir." Tony gulped. He knew it would be bad, but this was horrific. "She won't be awake for several hours, but you are more than welcome to sit with her. She's currently in Intensive Care so other visitors should be quick and quiet. I'll have a nurse show you to her."

"Thank you." Tony murmured, knowing that there would never be a way to repay him for what he had done. The doctor smiled before checking his beeping pager and disappearing again. Tony turned to face his family. "You heard?" They all nodded. "I'm gonna go sit with her." A brunette nurse held open the door for him and he followed her through it before ending up at Intensive Care. He stood outside the room. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and was greeted by his wife: unconscious, covered in bandages, her leg raised on pillows, filled with wires and tubs and several shades paler than usual but very much alive.


	56. Chapter 56

"Tell me what happened." Gibbs started. Tony had been watching Ziva sleep for the past five hours and while Abby, Ducky and Jimmy stayed with him, McGee and Gibbs went back to NCIS and brought Malachi in. They needed answers and so would Tony.

"I had a feeling you would ask me to break protocol and tell you. Mossad have already told me to not say a word." Gibbs sighed in frustration and was about to get up when Malachi laid a hand on his arm. "But for Ziva, I will tell you whatever you need to know." Gibbs sat back down and crossed his arms.

"I wanna know everything. From the moment you stepped off that plane until she arrived at Bethesda." Malachi took a deep breath and started to relay the tale.

"Ziva and I arrived in England late morning. We went straight to our hotel. Our assignment was to take place the day after. The first day we would settle in, the second we would take out the cell then after a few days, two weeks at the most, we would return once the heat had died down surrounding their murders. The last time had been fact finding, this was elimination. Ziva was apprehensive, she had been out of the game for so long, and it took a while for her to get back into the swing of things. We spent the night in the hotel, ordered room service so she would not have to flaunt her alias while she was still getting used to it and I filled her in on the details. The next day we planned to go out for lunch, we had to appear as a normal married couple, and then do our duty that night. On the way to the restaurant we had a close call with one of our targets but we…avoided him. We made it to the restaurant without any more trouble and sat down to eat. We started talking and I told her what I knew about Director David's murder and Officer Tuvia's suicide. I struck a nerve and she was staring out of the window when she was made. Our four targets advanced towards us and fired their grenade launcher at the restaurant. While they were occupied taking out civilians, I dragged Ziva into the kitchen and set us up behind a metal counter. She was badly hurt, I could tell. She had broken her leg, badly, and had a serious concussion. I think she had also punctured her lung. That is not even mentioning the cuts and bruises. Our targets came in shooting. We shot back…well I guess you have heard the transmission by now." Gibbs nodded just the once. "After that, everything went black. When I came to, Officer Gaber was leaning over me, shaking me, telling me to wake up. My arm was badly broken, I had a concussion- nowhere near as severe as Ziva's- and several bullet wounds, none serious. Ziva was gone." He took a deep breath and looked away from Gibbs' stare for the first time. "I had no idea whether she had gotten out alive. All I knew was that our targets had been eliminated and I was alive. I swear to you." He looked him in the eye and Gibbs noticed tears gathering in his. "I would not have left if I knew where she was, if I thought I could have helped. I would not have left her. I swear." Gibbs nodded and cleared his throat.

"Do you have any idea how she could have gotten to hospital? Any idea at all?" The younger man shook his head.

"I would tell you if I had." Gibbs nodded once more before rising.

"Agent Gibbs?" He turned back to face him. "How…how is she?" Gibbs sighed.

"She's still unconscious. They've stopped the bleeding. They lost her twice on the table. She's pretty beaten up." Malachi put his head in his hands. "She's not outta the woods yet, but she's stable."

"Do you think…?" He rolled his head to the side to face him. "Do you think Tony will let me see her?" Gibbs shrugged as he left the room.

"You can ask him yourself, you're free to go." Gibbs left the room and went up to meet McGee while Malachi was escorted out of the building.

"Well?" Gibbs asked as he leant on the partition next to McGee's desk. The younger man looked up with a start.

"Didn't get anywhere with Malachi?" Gibbs shrugged.

"Light's went out then she was gone. That's basically all he knows. How about us?" McGee typed a few things before pointing at the plasma. Gibbs went to stand beside it and McGee quickly followed.

"This is security camera footage from a traffic light across the street." He clicked fast-forward on the screen and the two men watched in high speed as Ziva and Malachi entered the restaurant, four people came onto the screen, cross the street and the restaurant blow up before McGee played it in normal speed. "Look." He pointed to two men who entered what was left of the front half of the building several minutes after the explosion. They walked with purpose and then one exited less than a minute later, a young unconscious woman gathered in his arms. McGee paused it and zoomed in. "That's Ziva. I'd bet my pay check on it." Gibbs nodded.

"Have you identified the guy?" McGee shook his head.

"He knew where the cameras where. He puts her into the back of a car and speeds off in the direction of the hospital and then about five minutes later, the other guy comes out with Malachi." They watched as the two men, Malachi limping severely, exited the building, got into another car and sped off in the same direction. "Gotta be Mossad right?"

"I would think so. Go on, get back to the hospital. I'll meet you there in a few hours." McGee clapped his boss on the shoulder before grabbing his stuff and entering the lift. Gibbs sat down with a thud and rewound the video until he paused it on Ziva's unconscious figure.

"Please be okay." He murmured.


	57. Chapter 57

Author's Note-Evidently, my dear readers, you only have huge reactions to chapters with Ziva in them, so the next few chapters will be Ziva heavy, not just because you like them but also 'cause we're at that bit in the storyline. So, enjoy. NYLF xx

* * *

Tony sat by Ziva's bedside, holding her hand as he listened to the steady, if not slightly fast, beeping of her heart monitor. She should have woken up by now, the sedatives had worked their way out of her system and she should have woken up. But she had a grade three concussion and had lost a lot of blood. It was a waiting game.

"Baby. You need to wake up now." Tony murmured, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I wanna see you're beautiful eyes. I wanna tell you I love you and watch them sparkle. I want to take you home to see your kids, both of whom are very anxious to see you. Oscar started playing up. He didn't want to come home because you weren't there. He misses you like crazy. And Alaigha. Oh Baby you missed it. She smiled. Yup, our little Principessa Leia is smiling now. Oh Honey it's a gorgeous thing to see. She's so adorable when she smiles. And she looks even more like you, if that were possible." He chuckled, turned her palm upwards and rested his head on it. "I've missed you so much. I've been so worried. They said you were dead Zi and it was like Somalia all over again. My life just crumbled around me. But this was worse, because I had to try and find a way to tell our three year old that the most wonderful woman he'd ever meet was never coming home." He sighed, drawing patterns on her forearm. "I'm glad I never had to have that conversation. Now all you have to do is wake up Baby, you've done the hard part, you've gotten this far, now all you have to do is open those pretty eyes of yours and we'll be back. You'll be home." He felt her move her fingers beneath his head. "Honey? That's it, come on. Open those beautiful brown eyes for me." She moaned before wincing. He was on his feet in an instant and talking in her ear. "Come back to me Zi, come on Honey you can do this. I know you can do this, come on."

"Will you keep it down?" She murmured painfully and Tony pulled away from her long enough to laugh in relief before he kissed her forehead, nose, cheeks, chin and finally her lips. He felt her kiss back and slip her hand into his and he burst into tears. She was alive and she'd come back to him. He pulled away slowly, pressed one more kiss to her lips and then sat back down beside her. "So, how bad is it?" She asked, he could tell it still took a lot of effort to breath.

"They've fixed your punctured lung and set your broken rib. They're waiting for the swelling to go down in your leg before the hard-cast it but they've pinned your cracked shin and your broken femur is a nice clean break so that should heal itself. You have a grade three concussion; which is probably why you still don't want to open your eyes." She rolled her eyes behind her lids and Tony laughed. "Definitely why you don't wanna open your eyes. They've got all the bullets out of ya, all seven of them. There's also a pretty nasty gash on your décolletage." He gently stroked the bandage on her chest. "This bit. It needed twelve stitches apparently. You've got a couple of nasty bruises and a lot of minor cuts. But you're alive and that's all that matters." He kissed her again and she responded. "You wanna try opening your eyes for me?"

"Not really." She moaned. He chuckled before laying his hand over her eyes.

"How about now?" She chuckled and his heart soared.

"Okay." She very slowly opened her eyes. "Okay, they are open." He laughed and kissed her cheek.

"Okay, I'm gonna take my hand away now and you're gonna tell me if everything's normal okay?"

"Yup." She winced. He slowly moved his hand. Once fully clear it took Ziva all of three seconds to turn a worrying shade of green and clamp her eyes tightly shut again.

"What's up Baby?" She took several breaths, which was still hard, before answering him.

"Grade three concussion. The room is spinning and there are two of you." He chuckled.

"Okay. Well at least you can see, so there's a good starting place. We'll work on the double vision in a bit." He gently stroked her cheek. "Apart from that are you feeling okay? Not in pain or anything?"

"No. I am just glad to be hearing your voice." He smiled. "I am sorry…"

"Hey, no, no, no. You don't ever need to apologise to me okay? You're safe and that's all that matters. I'm never gonna let you out of my sight ever again but all that matters right now is that you're safe." She smiled before ever so slowly opening her eyes. "Hey, there's my pretty Ninja. You gonna be okay this time?"

"I think so." She replied slowly, focusing her eyes on him. "Just let me know if I am looking at the wrong Tony." He laughed and kissed her gently.

"You're not. Now, I need to go let people know that you're awake. You gonna be okay?" She nodded slowly.

"Just, give me your hand first." He looked at her in confusion but presented his hand all the same. She took it gently in her own before placing it on her cheek and nuzzling into it. "I have missed you so much." She murmured tearfully into his palm. Tony rested his other hand on the other side of her face and kissed her temple. "I will never go away again." He scoffed playfully, kissing her skin once more.

"As if I'd let you."


	58. Chapter 58

Author's Note-I think Ziva may be a wee bit out of character here but I tried to keep it as much as possible. NYLF xx

* * *

Once the doctor had assessed her, and she'd had her leg cast from toe to hip in bright blue, Ziva had been moved into a private room on a ward. He had assured them that the double vision and dizziness were both normal and temporary. Pretty soon he left them alone and a few minutes later, Ziva threw her head into her pillows and burst into tears.

"Hey, Baby, what's wrong?" Tony asked worriedly. She sniffled and he squeezed her hand gently.

"Can you just, can you hold me please?" Tony carefully helped her move to the side of her bed and sat beside her, gathering her up in his arms and pulling her onto his lap. He stroked her hair gently, whispering in her ear.

"It's okay Sweetheart. You're okay now. You're safe. You're home. You're okay." She shuddered in his arms and he momentarily worried about her more precarious injuries, her rib for one, but he'd never voice this. He did what any good husband would do, and just held his wife close as she shook. They sat like that for more than ten minutes while the tears slowly ebbed away just in time for Abby and McGee to appear at the door. McGee opened the door just a crack.

"You want us to come back?" Tony shook his head.

"Nah, come on in. We just got a bit tearful." It was only then he realised she'd drifted off. "Come sit down. She'll wake up in a bit." Tony motioned at the blanket that had been moved to the bottom of the bed. "Can you umm…?" McGee took the hint and carefully tucked the blanket around them both before kissing the side of Ziva's head gently.

"How is she?" Abby asked as he took his seat. Tony sighed, pressing a kiss into her hair.

"A little battered, but she'll be okay. She stupidly let me pick the colour of her cast." He chuckled, running his hand up where her thigh was covered by the contraption. "So she's stuck with a bright blue leg for the next eight weeks. After that, they'll take it off, re-x-ray her and then either re-cast her or give her a clean bill of health." Abby look apprehensively.

"She's gonna be okay though right?" Tony turned his head so his cheek was resting on the top of Ziva's head as he smiled at his little sister reassuringly.

"Yeah Abs, she'll be fine." A single relieved tear tracked down Abby's cheek which she quickly wiped away.

"Good." She cleared her throat. "Good." She whispered gently. McGee winked at Tony, who smiled back, before both went back to comforting the women in their lives.

About half an hour after McGee and Abby had arrived, Gibbs knocked on the door. Tony beckoned him in.

"Hey. I just thought I'd pop in. How is she?" Tony tilted his head so he could see her face. Her eyes fluttered open just as he did.

"Hello sleepyhead. Didn't you get enough sleep while you were unconscious?" Ziva smiled at him shyly. "Tim, Abby and Gibbs are here." He informed her softly and she slowly lifted her head to face her visitors.

"Hi." Her voice was so quiet and she looked about twenty years younger than she was despite her injuries.

"Hey Kiddo." Gibbs greeted, crossing the room and kissing to top of her head. "How you feeling?"

"I…" She hesitated and the whole team knew she'd just caught herself before she said 'I am fine'. "I am better now I am home." She smiled. "But I am a little sore." Tony carefully moved her so she was sat a little more upright in his arms.

"Better?" She nodded. "I thought you might've wanted the hug to take priority over your ribs." She kissed him slowly.

"When can I go home?" Tony looked at the others, apparently no one had thought of asking.

"I don't know Zi. You want me to go check?" She nodded.

"If you do not mind." He carefully manoeuvred them so she was back in bed and he could get up and go find her doctor. Gibbs perched on the edge of her bed and squeezed her hand just the once. It was enough. She understood the sentiment. Tony wasn't gone long.

"They wanna keep you in for a couple of days, just to make sure everything is on the right track. They'll think about it on Sunday okay?" He spouted as he made his way across the room to lean against the wall beside her head. She sighed. "Hey, it's only three days. And you _were_ just blown up, shot and shipped across the Atlantic. Give your body a chance." She smiled.

"I just want to get home to our children." Tony shrugged.

"Maybe we could bring them in." Ziva looked sceptical. "What's up?"

"Do you think Alaigha will remember me?" Tony chuckled and stroked her hair gently.

"How could anyone forget you hmm?" She smiled gently. He'd forgotten how insecure she could be. "Besides, you were only gone what, seventeen days. She'll remember you and she'll smile for you too. She's started yesterday." Ziva chuckled gently.

"Yes." She yawned. "I heard you. It is adorable and makes her look more like me. But I am still not sure how you can associate me with adorableness." Tony interlinked their fingers and stroked his thumb across hers. He didn't care that she was as insecure as always, he didn't care she still wouldn't accept just how beautiful she was, she was awake, she was safe and she was on her way home.


	59. Chapter 59

Sunday morning eventually crawled around. Tony had spent every moment, sans a half hour here and there for a shower, in Ziva's hospital room, so the children had stayed at Gibbs'. Ziva woke up at seven to find her doctor carefully prodding her chest.

"Umm, hello?" She asked warily. The doctor smiled.

"Just checking on your rib. Everything seems fine. I'm happy to discharge you just as soon as we get you on your crutches." Ziva smiled. "He hasn't left." The doctor motioned at Tony with his pen. He was asleep in the chair beside her bed, covered in his jacket, clutching a very colourful piece of paper.

"How long has he been asleep?" She asked softly, quite content to watch the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"About an hour. I'm sure he won't mind if you wake him." He smiled. "Have you ever had crutches before?" Ziva shook her head, still watching Tony. "I'll have a nurse come and show you how to use them. Once you're up and about, I'm happy to let you go home." She turned to face him with a smile.

"Toda." She replied without thinking as her gaze returned to her sleeping husband.

"Ein Be'ayot." He turned to leave, not catching her warm smile as he closed the door behind him.

With much less effort than it had taken on Thursday, Ziva sat up more fully and reached out to take Tony's hand. His eye's popped open and he squeezed back immediately.

"Hey." She murmured. He yawned, ran his spare hand through his hair and smiled at her sleepily.

"Hi. How you feeling?" She smiled warmly at him before pulling him up and kissing him.

"Better. The doctor says I can be discharged as soon as I can walk on crutches." Tony carefully stroked a curl behind her ear and smiled at her. "What?"

"I nearly forgot." He passed her the sheet of paper he'd been guarding so closely. "I phoned Gibbs and told Oscar that his mommy was coming home and, after about three hours of alternating from running around with the biggest smile on his face and sat by Gibbs' front door waiting for you, he insisted on drawing you a picture. When I went to shower and spend a few minutes with them, he gave me strict instructions to give this to you." Ziva looked at the sheet carefully and saw that, while her skin was purple, except her leg, which Tony had evidently told him about as it was blue, it was a very carefully drawn picture of her with 'I love my Ima' written on the bottom, clearly in Tony's handwriting. She beamed at it and then him. "You still seeing two of me?" She chuckled.

"Only when I move my eyes too quickly. I am fine. I promise." She rested her hand over his on her face before turning to kiss his palm. He felt the tension in her and was quickly bent to make eye contact.

"Zi, look at me." She obliged and lost herself in his seawater eyes. Tony tilted his head to the side slightly. "Baby? Where does it hurt?" She smiled; she knew she'd been caught.

"My leg hurts, and my ribs." Tony tutted.

"How long?" She averted her eyes. "Ziva?"

"A couple of hours." He kissed the top of her head before holding her to him.

"You gotta tell me if you're in pain okay?" She nodded against him. "Good. I'll get the doc's to give you some more pain meds." She rested her chin on his stomach and looked up at him. He gently cupped her face. "What's up Sweetie?" She smiled.

"I just cannot believe I am going home." They exchanged a smile before they were interrupted by a nurse equipped with crutches.

After about ten minutes of training, and a couple of wobbles, Ziva was hopping around fine and the doctor was more than happy to send her home. Tony drove extra carefully all the way there and opened her door for her. She smiled; she would let him take care of her. Right now, she could think of nothing better. Once he had let them in, Tony was quick to help her over to the couch and plumped cushions all around her.

"Comfy? I can always go get more pillows if you like?" Ziva giggled, a true proper giggle and Tony couldn't help but stop what he was doing and kiss her.

"I am fine. I have _plenty _of pillows. A blanket would be nice though." Tony held up a finger to indicate for her to wait before running up the stairs, returning only moments later with their quilt. She chuckled as he tucked it around her. "Thank you, my love." Her eyes slipped closed and he could tell she was fighting sleep.

"It's okay Honey. I'll be right here when you wake up. Get some rest." She smiled and kissed him one last time before snuggling down and drifting off. After watching her sleep for a few minutes, Tony stroked her hair and got out his phone, walking into the kitchen to make the call. He had a plan.


	60. Chapter 60

Giggling filtered into Ziva's universe as she came round to consciousness. She cracked one eye open and smiled. Tony was sat beside her head with a twin on either of his crossed legs, gently rocking Alaigha as she watched from her bouncer with a huge smile. She followed her husband's gaze and landed on three small children. Kayla, Ava and Oscar, all equipped with permanent markers, were all very happily drawing on Ziva's cast. Clearly they'd been at it for a while; given the amount of colourful scribbled pictures covering her lower leg. She opened her eyes completely and somehow, Tony sensed the movement. He turned to face her and smiled.

"Oscar?" He called quietly.

"Yeah?" The little boy asked, putting the finishing touches to the picture he was drawing. When his father didn't continue he looked up and caught his mother's eye. "Ima!" He cried, scrambling to get onto her lap. Ziva gently pulled him to her and held him tightly. She was in tears when Jimmy and Abby came in from the kitchen.

"She's awake then huh?" Jimmy asked, ruffling Kayla's curls.

"Yup. Sees cryin'. Is see not happy?" Jimmy laughed, sitting on the edge of the couch to make eye contact with her.

"Angel, sometimes, when grownups are really happy, they cry. It doesn't mean they're sad." The toddler tilted her head to the side before shrugging and returning to her flower on her Auntie's foot.

"That's silly." The adults in the room, sans Ziva, all laughed.

"Yeah baby girl, adults are." Ziva carefully shifted Oscar so he was sat on her lap rather than crushing her ribs.

"Did you, your daddy and your sister have fun while I was away Baby?" Oscar shrugged.

"Wanted you home." Ziva smiled at the pout on her son's face and poked his lower lip back in with a chuckle.

"Did you spend the _whole _time missing me? Did you have no fun _at all?" _He shook his head and Ziva turned to Tony. "You were slacking Papa." Tony put his tongue in his cheek before leaning in to kiss the smirk off her face. She smiled at him before kissing him again, despite the disgusted noise their son was making. "Shush you." She chuckled, tickling him gently making him laugh. "Okay, Auntie Ziva needs painkillers and the bathroom; you are all going to have to move." The two girls groaned but moved all the same. Tony deposited Oscar on the floor, pulled her to her feet and passed her her crutches. "I am so glad we have a downstairs bathroom." Tony chuckled before helping her round the couch and leaving her to Abby.

"Why does mama need to take Auntie Ziva to the bafroom?" Ava asked confusedly making Ziva stop in her tracks. "What?"

"Ava, Sweetie, what's my name?" The little girl looked at her with a funny look before turning to Tony.

"Uncle Tony, I fink she's hurt worse-er than we fought." Ziva chuckled. "You're Ziva." Ziva thought she'd burst with pride. That was the first time Ava had ever pronounced her name correctly. Abby chuckled.

"Come on you." She helped her to the bathroom, leaving Jimmy and Tony to tidy away all the colours they'd provided the kids with.

Several hours later, once their guests had gone, Tony and Ziva worked in complete harmony in the kitchen making dinner together. Oscar watched on in amusement while his father flitted around, adding a pinch of this, and a dash of that, while his mother chanted orders and stirred.

"Ima?" Ziva immediately turned to face him, leaving Tony to stir in his latest ingredient.

"Yes Tateleh?" His eyes were drawn to the deep cut on her chest, the angry bruise on the inside of her elbow. "Tateleh?" She prompted gently.

"You're not gonna go away again. Right? Like never ever?" She leant over and kissed the top of his head while she picked a grape from the bunch behind her and popped it into his mouth.

"Right." He smiled widely while Ziva removed the crayon from Alaigha's mouth and kissed her nose, causing the baby to smile almost as widely as her brother. She quickly put a bottle into her youngest's mouth and a cup of juice in Oscar's hand. Tony marvelled how she was still able to be the fabulous, talent-never-ending ninja-mother, while on crutches until he noticed just how green she was.

"Ziva?" She quickly turned to face him before leaning over the sink and being sick. Tony was immediately behind her, gathering her hair tightly into one hand while the other rubbed her back.

"Ima?" Oscar asked worriedly. Tony turned and smiled reassuringly at his son.

"She's okay Osc. Ima's body's got a lot to deal with right now, it's complaining." She coughed a couple of times before running the tap and washing out her mouth and the sink. "Ain't that right, mama?" Ziva nodded before spitting out the mouthful of water.

"I am fine Sweetheart." She wiped her face with the towel Tony passed her before righting her self and smiling reassuringly at him. He let go of her hair and wrapped his arm around her waist. He pressed a kiss to her temple and left his head leant against hers.

"You okay?" He murmured into her ear, just loud enough for her to hear. She nodded.

"I think I may go lay down." Tony nodded. "Will you help me upstairs?" Tony quickly turned off the stove and knelt before his son.

"Oscar?" He waited for him to look up from his drawing before continuing. "I will be _right _back, okay. I'm gonna take mama upstairs and then I'll give you your tea. You are _not _to touch the stove, under _any _circumstances, got it?" Oscar nodded solemnly.

"Got it daddy." Tony tapped his chin gently.

"Good boy. Keep an eye on your sister. I won't be long."

Ziva pulled herself up the bed later that night before swinging her legs off the side. Tony sat up just as she lent forward, leaning her forearms on her thighs. He moved so he was sat behind her as he gently rubbed her back.

"You okay Baby?" He asked tenderly. She groaned. "Still feeling sick huh?"

"Mhmm." She wretched slightly but settled back down.

"Want me to help you to the bathroom?" She shook her head slowly.

"I am sorry." He sat beside her, still rubbing her back soothingly.

"Don't be. I'm your husband, it's my job." She lurched forward and Tony grabbed the bucket he'd been cautious enough to put beside her earlier just in time. "Okay." He soothed holding her hair back and kissing her shoulder. She retched again. "Oh, Sweetheart. It's alright." He heard her sob, not sure if it was the force of her throwing up, the pain or the humiliation causing it. "You done?" She nodded. "Okay." Tony grabbed a couple of tissues from the bedside cabinet and passed them to her before setting the bucket down and tying her hair into a loose bun. She wiped her face and threw the tissues into the bucket. "Come on." He helped her to her feet and helped her walk to the bathroom before settling her on the edge of the bath closest to the toilet. "I'm gonna go sort everything out okay? Call if you need me." He left her to it while he went to deal with everything.

A few minutes later, Tony re-entered the bathroom to find her throwing up again. He sighed before grabbing his phone.

"Hey, Ducky." He greeted quietly as the medical examiner answered the phone.

"Ah, Anthony. What can I do for you at half four in the morning?" Tony smiled at how cheery the doctor could sound despite the fact that the call had clearly woken him up.

"Ziva's throwing up. She's been feeling sick ever since we got back from the hospital, she threw up earlier and then she started vomiting again about ten minutes ago." There was a pause while Ducky processed.

"Is she on morphine?" Tony quickly checked the bottles of pills on her bedside table.

"Yeah. You think that's what's making her sick?"

"It may be. It's rather a common side effect. But tell me is she suffering from drowsiness, confusion, hallucinations, dizziness or complaining of feeling faint?" Tony relayed the symptoms to Ziva who only agreed to dizziness.

"She says she feels dizzy but none of the rest. Why?"

"Her dosage may be too high. Do you think she could go the night without the morphine?"

"I don't know Duck, she cried at the hospital she was in so much pain. I've never seen her like this."

"Skip her next morphine dose. If she's in too much pain call me and I shall see what I can do. I am a little nervous about letting her take too high a dose of morphine any longer than necessary." Ziva threw up again and Tony was quickly by her side, rubbing her back with his spare hand. "I'll let you get back to her. Like I said, skip the next one and call me if she's in too much pain."

"Thanks Ducky. Sorry for waking you up."

"Not at all. Send her my love. Goodnight." He hung up and Tony put the phone back on the cabinet while he grabbed a blanket for his shivering wife.

"Ducky sends his love and says that he thinks you might have too high a dose of morphine so we should skip the next one. You up for trying that?" She wiped her mouth, flushed the toilet and leaned into him, utterly exhausted. Tony wrapped the blanket around her tighter before carrying her back to bed. He tucked her in and went downstairs, returning with a glass of ice water and a straw. After making her sip it slowly, he put it within arm's reach and got in behind her, holding her close, careful not to hurt her ribs or any of her bruises. "Try to get some sleep Honey."


	61. Chapter 61

After a rather uneventful night once they had fallen asleep again, Tony woke up and found himself cuddling his son instead of Ziva and her no where to be seen. He gently released himself from the little boy's grasp and went in search of his wife. He found her, in the shower, with a trash bag carefully wrapped around her cast. He chuckled as he slipped in behind her and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Good morning." He kissed her neck and felt her tense. "What's wrong?"

"Can I just have my shower in peace? I am nearly done." There was no malice in her tone, no frustration, but he still pulled back from her and stared confusedly at the back of her head.

"Sure, course you can." He nodded before stepping back out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist. "Call if you…"

"I will not need you." She finished, smiling before returning to washing her hair. Tony shook his head in bewilderment before going to get dressed.

Just over ten minutes later, Tony was in the nursery, changing Alaigha when he heard the quickly becoming familiar click-thump of Ziva walking with her crutches. He finished re-popping the poppers on Alaigha's all-in-one before laying her back in her crib and leaning in the door way, watching Ziva as she joined him. She smiled at him gently.

"You alright?" She nodded. "Pain?" She shrugged.

"Only in my leg." Tony sighed.

"How bad?" She shrugged.

"I have had worse." He crossed the corridor in one step and cupped her face. He raised his eyebrows and she rolled her eyes. "Maybe, we could phone Ducky." He blinked. "Okay, _can_ you phone Ducky?" Tony kissed her slowly.

"You got it. You want me to carry you down stairs?" She shook her head.

"No, I am…Tony!" She laughed as he picked her up and put her crutches in her lap before carefully carrying her down the stairs, setting her on the couch as he went to get the phone. "You are a menace!" She laughed, only laughing harder when he poked his tongue out at her.

Ducky and Gibbs arrived less than half an hour later. Tony greeted them at the door and led them through to the kitchen where they found Ziva stood at the kitchen table, laughing, Oscar on her hip leaning against her shoulder while she walked her fingers up and down Leia's body, a permanent smile on the little girl's face. Ducky kissed her cheek before setting his bag down beside the bouncer and removing several things from it while Gibbs ruffled Oscar's hair. Tony smiled at the scene.

"Hey Duck?" Gibbs asked, getting the older man's attention instantly. "Is she still in danger? Medically I mean?" All three adults in the room turned to face him in confusion.

"No Jethro. Ziva is now healing. Why?" Gibbs, with a finely tuned technique, slapped the back of her head which propelled an unprepared Ziva straight into Tony's arms as she over balanced. Oscar giggled while Tony set Ziva back on her feet, shooting Gibbs a glare. He looked suitably apologetic but Ziva turned to him with a smile.

"Crutches and a slow fading grade three concussion Gibbs. Can we lay off the head-slaps at least until there is only one of you?" Gibbs laughed and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"How ya feeling?" She shrugged and passed Oscar to Tony when Ducky motioned at her with a blood-pressure cuff.

"My leg hurts, breathing is not the easiest thing, but I am okay." She smiled warmly at Tony. "I have a lot of love around me." Tony kissed her temple.

"Anthony, do you own a set of scales? I need to check your weight so I can check your morphine dosage." Ziva nodded and Tony ran upstairs, coming back after retrieving them. "Okay Ziva, if you just step on for me, Anthony will support you." With a little bit of help, Ziva stepped onto the scales. "Okay." Ducky jotted down the figure before doing some far-too-complicated-for-anyone-else-in-the-room-to-decipher maths. He capped his pen and picked up the pill bottle Tony had given him.

"Ima? What's Duck-Duck doing?" Ziva smiled at the nickname before smiling at her son.

"He is sorting out my medication so I am not sick anymore." Oscar nodded, despite the barely hidden confusion still in his eyes, and went back to lying on his father's shoulder. She stroked his head before picking up Alaigha and cradling her close. Ducky aha-ed and left the room to make a phone call. The three adults exchanged confused looks before all laughing.

"I don't get it." Oscar announced, making them all laugh harder. Ziva tapped his nose.

"Do not worry Tateleh, nor do we."

"Okay." He nodded; satisfied that he wasn't the only one in the dark.

When Ducky came back in, he was more than a little confused at the whole room laughing but quickly commanded their attention.

"You _were_ on too high a dose, I have just had a conversation with your doctor and he has apologised for the mistake and is currently writing you another prescription. I can go get that for you and bring it here so you don't need to even leave the house." Ziva smiled.

"Thank you Ducky. That is very kind." He shook his head.

"It's your health my dear." Ziva quickly turned her attention to Alaigha who had started crying and squirming in her arms.

"Tony, can you go change her?" Tony nodded and took the baby.

"Come here Principessa." He cooed, jogging up the stairs. Gibbs squeezed Ziva's shoulder as he crossed the room behind her and flipped the kettle on.

"How're you really feeling?" Gibbs asked kindly as she sat heavily into the chair beside her. Ducky took Oscar's hand and they both went into the living room. Ziva watched them leave before turning back to her boss.

"What happened Gibbs? Between my passing out and waking up in Bethesda?" Gibbs leant against the side and turned to face her. She saw the torn expression he was wearing. "Gibbs?"

"Two men went into the building and a few minutes later, one came out with you in his arms. The second came out supporting Malachi a couple of minutes later." Her eyes widened just a touch.

"I had completely forgotten about Mal, is he okay?"Gibbs smirked quickly.

"He's fine. Couple of bullet holes and a…"

"Compound fracture." She murmured as their conversation filtered back to her. She swore under her breath. "Did that get seen to? Properly I mean?" Gibbs' eyebrows met in the middle as he looked at his agent confusedly. "That sort of injury needs proper medical attention…" She petered off. "What?"

"He wanted to see you. Asked me if I thought Tony would let him see ya." She tilted her head slightly. "Ziver, did something happen, between the two of you?" Ziva's eyebrows shot up into her hair line.

"I am not quite sure I understand, are you questioning if something inappropriate happened while we were in London? You are questioning my loyalty? To my family? To Tony?" She got up rather unsteadily. "Seriously?"

"Ziver, I was just asking…" She shook her head holding a hand out to stop him. She opened her mouth a couple of time but found herself too lost for words. There was an awkward silence until Tony returned sans Alaigha.

"She fell asleep so I left her…" He noticed the tension in the air and held both of his hands up in surrender. "What have I interrupted?"

"Nothing, Ziver was just being a goldfish." Gibbs quipped before Ziva looked between them both enraged.

"He kissed me, okay?" Gibbs shook his head at her while Tony looked on confused. "One of our targets walked past us and we had to avoid him. So he kissed me. It did not last very long. And okay, no, I was not thinking of Tony. Okay, I allowed myself to be too far into character and so I was thinking of him but it did not mean anything." Emotions were flying across Tony's face so quickly that she couldn't tell what he was thinking while Gibbs just turned away from her and started to boil the kettle again. "Tony." She focused her energy on him after shooting a glare at the back of Gibbs' head. "Say something." She almost begged him quietly. He shook his head, his brow wrinkling in confusion. "Please."

"What about him?" She didn't understand, and while it wasn't exactly clear, that angered him. "What did it mean to him?" He asked heatedly and Gibbs immediately regretted broaching the subject at all. Ziva floundered for a moment before dropping her eyes to the floor.

"I did not ask. Nothing. He is a _friend _Tony. We were…" She caught herself too late. His gaze honed in on her, burning a hole in her skin. "We were a long time ago." She relented regretfully. Tony nodded before his eyes snapped straight back to her as she sniffed. Tony was by her side before the first tear fell and held her tightly.

"I'm sorry Ziva. I'm sorry I upset you. I believe you. I trust you Baby, it's okay." She gripped him tightly.

"I take my vows seriously Tony, I would never…" She couldn't even bring herself to say it. Tony pressed a kiss to her head.

"I know Princess. I trust you." He rested his cheek on the top of her head. "I trust you."

* * *

Author's Note-They are, she didn't cheat, happy now? I'd just like to say though; it was never my intention for Ziva to sleep with Malachi while they were in London. I enjoy writing the dramatic scenes, I'll admit, but writing the cute family bits is such a joy. If I had made Ziva cheat, they wouldn't have that because Tony would constantly be looking over his shoulder, expecting her to do it again. Hope you enjoyed it NYLF xx


	62. Chapter 62

Gibbs took Ducky to collect the new morphine and bring it to Ziva before taking both him and himself home. Once she'd taken her medication, Tony carried Ziva up to bed, leaving her cuddling both of of their children while he went back downstairs to answer the ringing phone.

"Hello?" Tony cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear as he collected Oscar's toys from around the lounge.

"Umm, hi, Tony. It's Malachi." Tony dropped the box of crayons, swearing as they spilt everywhere. "Bad time?" He sat down on the couch while picking up the crayons and returning them to their box.

"Umm, yeah, sorry. Well no, I dropped Oscar's crayons. That's all. What's up?"

"I was just wondering how Ziva was. I phoned a couple of days ago but there was no answer, I presumed you were still at the hospital." Tony reached his hand under the couch to find the last crayon. "Are you sure you do not want me to call back?" Tony aha-ed as he grabbed the elusive object and threw it back into the box.

"Nope, all good. Right, yeah she got home yesterday. We had a mix-up with the meds that had her throwing up all last night but that's sorted now and she's currently lying down with the kids upstairs." Malachi sighed in relief. "Sorry I haven't had the chance to get in contact."

"No, not at all. You had more important things to worry about, I understand. I was just curious." Tony smiled gently. Not that he ever thought otherwise, but to _know _that he and Ziva were strictly platonic put his mind at rest all the same.

"Did you want to speak to her? I can go ask her if she's up to it." He almost heard the smile on his face.

"Only if she is up to it, I do not want to impose." Tony smiled as he got up.

"Two secs, I'll just go check." He ran up the stairs before leaning in the door way of his darkened bedroom, just listening to Ziva sing old Hebrew lullabies to the children. It was almost a shame to interrupt. "Hey, Zi?" She turned to face him.

"Hmm?" He held the phone up to show her.

"It's Malachi, you wanna talk to him?" She nodded and sat up.

"I shall swap you, Alaigha needs a bottle and I am sure Oscar is hungry by now." The little boy nodded and took the hand his father offered him as he took Alaigha in the other arm and passed Ziva the phone. He left to feed his children while Ziva leant into the cushions. "Hey, Mal, how are you?" He scoffed.

"Better than you I can imagine. I was never told about you, the only information I got was that you were missing, presumed dead. That they had stopped looking for you." Ziva smiled sadly.

"I cannot help with that I am afraid, I have a huge gap in my memory from going into the restaurant until I woke up with Tony by my side in Bethesda." She sighed. "Do you know if we were at least successful in more than just nearly killing ourselves?" He chuckled.

"When I came to, Gaber was leaning over me, you were gone and three of our four targets were lying dead beside me." Ziva hummed.

"Do you think that is why Mossad told NCIS and you that I was missing presumed dead? Because one had gotten away?"

"You mean it was to throw them off, to make them stop looking?" Ziva shrugged.

"Maybe." Ziva sighed.

"What's up?" She smiled gently at the care in his tone.

"I wish, okay I am aware that it is terribly cliché but I just wish that we had not of met again under such circumstances. I forgot how nice it was to have you as a friend Mal." Malachi smiled.

"I missed you too." She chuckled. "I am sorry that the first time I see you in years I have to kidnap your husband and blackmail you into another mission." She scoffed.

"I am used to it. The blackmail, the husband is new." She paused. "Are you staying? In my life I mean? You do not have any plans to go on missions you will not come back from anytime soon?" He sighed and her heart dropped.

"I have three weeks to heal, and then I am off to Asia. One of our, more _colourful_ characters spotted our missing target and needs some help." Ziva sighed regretfully.

"Will this be the last time we speak?" She heard him clear his throat and knew that he too had tears in his eyes.

"Before this mission certainly." Ziva sniffed.

"Are you likely to come back?" Her voice betrayed her and cracked on the last word.

"Do not cry Tateleh, you have lost better than me." He paused. "I must let you get back to your family. We shall speak, when I come back. I will send you a ticket; we shall meet in Venice, just like old times. I'll even order you a glass of Sassicaia." She laughed, remembering the first time he had introduced her to her now favourite red wine.

"Goodbye Malachi." He laughed half heartedly.

"It's not good..." She stopped him.

"Say it, just this once, please." She choked. He sighed and willed his voice not to crack.

"Goodbye Ziva." The line went dead just as a single tear fell down both of their cheeks. She quickly wiped hers away and cleared her throat. He was right, she shouldn't be sad. They'd had the chance to make up, to be friends before it ended: a chance not many got. For that, she would be grateful.


	63. Chapter 63

Author's Note-Wow. The first review of this will be my 400th! I cannot quite believe that! Haha. Anyway, enjoy. NYLF xx

* * *

By Wednesday, Ziva could make it down the stairs by herself. Admittedly, it was a slow and painful task as, not only did she have to accommodate for her cast, but also her still healing lung puncture and rib fracture, but she could do it and it gave her back a small piece of the independence she had lost. It also meant that when Tony woke up by himself again on Thursday, he had to search further than just the second floor of their home to find her. Once he'd checked that Oscar was still sleeping, in their bed as he had every night since Ziva got home, and that Alaigha was okay, he made his way downstairs. He was leant in the kitchen doorway, watching as she washed up.

"Y'know, we _do _own a dishwasher, kinda makes washing up redundant." She didn't say a word or even look up as she dried a mug and turned to place it in the cupboard beside her. "Hey, Zi?" He asked as he came up beside her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She froze and the cup tumbled through the air until it smashed into a million pieces of the floor. He jumped and pulled back to get a dustpan and brush. "Jeeze Zi, have you ever been this spook-able, like ever?" He chuckled. She simply shook her head and stepped back, sitting at the table with a thud. Once Tony had swept up the mug and tipped it into the bin he leant against the side, facing his rather pale wife. "Baby? Look at me." He urged gently. She flipped her eyes to him.

"I…I am sorry." He shook his head.

"It's okay. It's not like it was my favourite." He joked but the laughter left his face at her weak smile. "Ziva? Ziva you know you can tell me anything right?" She didn't move and Tony was stood in front of her in one step. He crouched down and looked her in the eye. "Right?" She nodded.

"Yeah. I know." She cleared her throat and stood up. "I am going to go wake the children." Tony caught her arm before she could run from him.

"Zi…it's half five in the morning. Let 'em sleep." She slumped rather than relaxed. "Baby, what's the matter? Please tell me." She shook her head and tried to pull her arm from his grip. "Jeeze Zi, am I that scary?" She stopped fighting him and faced him with sad eyes. He let her arm go and it dropped lifelessly to her side. Neither said a word as she made her way upstairs, not once turning back.

Once the children were awake, they didn't have a moment to themselves to talk about what had happened that morning: which was both a blessing and a curse. Every time Tony went near her he could see the walls being put up behind her eyes. He was more than a little grateful when Vance phoned them around lunch time, telling him that he should take as much time as he needed. At least he didn't have to worry about going back to work.

Ziva sang Alaigha to sleep before collecting Oscar fresh from the bath from Tony and reading to him until he followed his little sister into sleep. After taking a deep breath, she entered their bedroom and sat on the bed watching him as he leant against the shower wall. She could feel the emotions rolling off of him, but she couldn't quite decipher what they were. She slowly made her way into the ensuite and sat on the closed lid of the toilet, just watching him.

"Tony, are you alright?" She asked softly. He slowly leaned back from the wall and returned to his shower.

"Yup." She scoffed as she heard the sadness just below the surface.

"Liar." He laughed sadly before shutting off the water and just standing there. Ziva stood, grabbing a towel from the rack near by and opened the door, passing it to him. He smiled and wrapped it around his waist before stepping out and leaning against the now closed shower door. "You want to talk about this morning." It wasn't a question and he knew it but his head nodded because he had no idea how else to respond. "I…" She sighed and Tony nearly had his hand on her shoulder before he dropped it. "You _can_ touch me, Tony."

"You just seem to spook every time I try." She shook her head before extending her arms to him. He gladly obliged and held her close. He placed a kiss to the top of her head. "Listen okay, I know that you're still in pain, I'm not gonna try anything. I just, I thought I'd lost you and I missed having you in my arms. If you want me to back off tell me, but don't just shut down Zi, please." She took a deep breath.

"I…I will not shut down." She promised and she felt Tony's heart beat slow down below her cheek. "I just, cannot…" She paused and he felt her shudder.

"It's okay, I get it. I'll back off with the intimate stuff, just tell me, when you're ready, okay?" She nodded and he kissed her head once more. "Good. Now, you wanna go downstairs or just go to bed?" She shrugged so Tony gently took her into his arms bridal style and laid her on the bed, tucking her in before putting on a pair of boxers and sliding in behind her and holding her gently. "Goodnight Baby." He kissed her shoulder.

"Goodnight, my love."


	64. Chapter 64

Saturday morning dawned and Ziva's cell rang at nine.

"Mhmm, hello?" She asked, still half asleep. She heard Abby wince.

"Did I wake you? I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to." Ziva chuckled.

"Do not worry Abby. I should be up by now anyway. How are you?"

"I'm good, I was just wondering how you were actually. Seeing as you are the one whose still majorly injured." Ziva sat up after dislodging Tony's arm from around her and made a sound of surprise to find that they were alone in bed. "Everything okay?"

"Oh, yes, sorry Abby. Oscar did not come into our bed last night. First time since I came home, that is all. I am getting there. I am taking my painkillers and they seem to be working, but I can still really tell when they wear off. Moving around is getting easier and my chest does not hurt anymore." She heard Abby sigh. "Were you worrying about me Abby?" Abby giggled self-consciously.

"I wasn't the only one." Ziva smiled.

"I never said you were. I live with Tony remember, I _know _you were not the only one who was worried." They both chuckled. "I have a feeling this was more than a checking-up-on-me phone call." Abby chuckled, she'd been busted.

"Okay, I was wondering if maybe I could come over in a bit. There's something I wanna talk to you about."

"Okay, how about you give us an hour to get up and get the kids breakfast. We should be ready for your special brand of hyper-ness by then." Abby giggled.

"Okay. I'll see you soon."

"See you soon Abby." Ziva smiled as she hung up the phone and snuggled into a-still-asleep-Tony's chest. "Just five more minutes."

Tony opened the door just over an hour later to find Abby with Ava on her hip.

"Hey, Abs. Were we expecting you?" Tony asked confusedly. Abby smiled awkwardly.

"Ziva was." Tony motioned her in. "Cheers."

"Zi's still asleep. Oscar's in the lounge playing if you wanna go see him Sweetie." Ava nodded, her pigtails bobbing wildly. Abby put her on the floor and she ran away to go find her cousin. "I'll go get her up." He was halfway to the stairs when Alaigha screams started from the kitchen. Tony sighed.

"Go see to her. I'll go wake Ziva." Tony kissed Abby's cheek.

"Cheers sis." They parted ways and while Tony went to see his youngest, Abby went upstairs to see Ziva.

Abby sat on the edge of the bed just watching her best friend sleep. She certainly wasn't the first one to notice how young and peaceful she looked while in the land of nod. She gently tucked a curl behind her ear and Ziva murmured gently.

"Tony?" Abby smiled.

"He's downstairs with the little ones. It's just me I'm afraid." Ziva's eyes fluttered open.

"When did you get here?" Abby chuckled.

"Only a few minutes ago. I think you may have fallen asleep." Ziva sat up and winced as she knocked the cut on her chest. "Jeeze Zi, be careful will you?" She laughed until the bandage covering he wound started to spot red. "Well done Zi." Abby sighed before getting up and going into the ensuite. Ziva sighed and leant against the pillows before slowly peeling back the meditape and removing the bandage to find that she had indeed split a couple of stitches. "You need to be more careful." Abby tutted as she pressed a damp flannel to the wound, the barest of winces falling from Ziva. "Sorry." Ziva shook her head.

"Do not be, you are better at this than Tony." Abby chuckled as she removed the flannel and started cutting meditape into thin strips.

"I've probably had more practise. You've met my eldest right?" Ziva chuckled. "The little bundle of energy that is _constantly _running headlong into things?" She carefully pressed a clean bandage to her chest before securing it firmly. "They are. Sorted." Ziva smiled while Abby tidied away.

"So, now I am not bleeding any more, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Abby sat across from her and crossed her legs. "Abs?" She tilted her head to the side before taking a deep breath.

"Do you remember when I offered to donate a kidney a few years ago?" Ziva nodded. "Well the guy who actually ended up donating turned out to be my brother. That got me to thinking, I mean my parents were so loving, I couldn't ever picture them putting a child up for adoption." Realisation dawned of Ziva's face.

"But they could _adopt_ one." Abby nodded.

"I'm adopted Ziva. I mean I've had a few years to process so it's not as raw as it was when I found out. But I haven't done anything about it up to now. I didn't want to turn Lucca and Kyle's lives upside down before I had something to show for it y'know?" Ziva nodded and took the young woman's hand.

"So what are you going to do?"Abby shrugged.

"I've spoken to Tim and Gibbs and am thinking that I'd like to try and find them. With everything that's happened lately, it'd be nice to know that Ava, Isla and Ethan would have someone blood-related they could turn to if something happened to either of us. I mean I know that you are all family but…"

"I get it Abby. Sometimes you just need your real family around you." Abby nodded before her brain caught up.

"Oh Ziva I'm sorry. I forgot that it isn't an option for you, I'm so stupid sometimes." Ziva squeezed her hand and shook her head.

"Just because all of my family are gone it does not mean you cannot talk about yours Abby. I have Tony and my children if I wanted blood family. That is enough for me, it always has been." She smiled reassuringly at her friend. "So, I have several contacts that I can put you in contact with that may be able to help and I shall help any way I can." Abby looked up with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you Ziva." She squeezed her hand gently. Ziva cleared her throat before letting go of her hand.

"Okay, well I suppose I should get up and get dressed hmm?" Abby smiled.

"You need help?" Ziva actually laughed as she shook her head.

"No, thank you, Abby. I am fine. Go help that husband of mine with our children. I shall join you in a moment." Abby kissed her forehead as she jumped off the bed.

"Okay." Ziva smiled before getting up slowly and starting to get dressed already mentally going through her list of contacts that could help out.

* * *

Author's Note-Well I thought I'd address it even if the show hasn't. NYLF xx


	65. Chapter 65

"Ima? Can you fly?" Ziva looked on in confusion while Abby and Tony tried to stifle their laughter. Abby put a sandwich in front of her daughter, who seemed just as perplexed at the inquiry as her aunt.

"Why do you ask Tateleh?" He shrugged as he picked up his own sandwich to take a bite. Ziva went back to chopping apple while he chewed.

"'Cause Auntie Abby said that you were being Superman." The explanation did nothing to relieve the confusion from her face.

"I said you were off saving the world, that's why you couldn't be with them. It seemed more user friendly." Ziva smiled gratefully before placing apple slices in front of both children.

"No, Oscar, I cannot fly." Oscar looked at Abby accusingly.

"So Ima's not like Superman?" Abby refused to make eye contact with him, favouring instead to straighten Ava's perfectly straight pigtails.

"Your mom is more like The Hulk, Osc." The glare Ziva shot him had Abby stifling laughter again. He smiled at her all the same. "She's just 'mom' most of the time but if she needs to, she can protect you from anything and everything." Her gaze softened slightly. "Just don't make her angry…"

"You won't like her when she's angry." Ava finished before laughing in surprise and joy as her Uncle swept her up and swung her round the room. He bumped her nose with his before settling her back in her seat.

"Very good Miss Avie. I like this one Abs, you can keep her." Abby laughed and Ava giggled but Oscar was still looking confused. Ziva bent down behind him to rest her chin on his head.

"What is troubling you Tateleh?" Oscar turned to face his father.

"Mommy's prettier than the Hulk though Papa." Ziva smiled brilliantly, placing a kiss to his curls before poking her tongue out at her husband. Tony laughed.

"That she is little one. That she is." Ziva blushed like a school girl.

"Auntie Ziva?" Ava asked slowly.

"Yes Sweetheart." The little girl's eyes settled on her cast.

"When you take that off will you keep our pictures?" Ziva nodded smiling.

"Of course. They are amazing works of art. I must keep them for when you are all famous artists so I can sell them." Ava sighed dramatically.

"Don't be silly Auntie Ziva." Tony snorted a laugh, earning a half-hearted glare from Ziva. "I'm going to be a fo-ren-sic sci-en-tist." Abby beamed with pride, not just at the pronunciation, hesitant as it had been.

"You gonna follow in your mom's footsteps, huh?" Tony asked flipping her pigtail and laughing when she swiped his hand away.

"Yup. And I'm gonna write books, like daddy." Tony momentarily worried that if Abby's smile grew much more her face would crack.

"About what kiddo?" Ava shrugged.

"I'm finking fairies. Like the ones that make Kayla's special chair go." The adults in the room all smiled. It really was that simple to her and it made them all happy that she would have a full and happy childhood, something they had all desperately wanted for their children.

"Well I think that is a wonderful idea for a book. Will you write your name in my copy?" Ziva asked happily, putting straws in two juice boxes and setting them beside the toddlers. Ava nodded enthusiastically.

"Yup, but Uncle Tony has to pay. Daddy says I shouldn't give him a copy till he pays me…umm…a drillion dollars." Abby and Ziva both fell about laughing while Tony put on his mock hurt performance that had even his three year old imitating Ziva's eye roll.


	66. Chapter 66

Author's Note-The next chapter will be M rated. This is your warning, as usual you are more than welcome to skip it.

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Tony left Oscar in bed that night, full of dreams of a 'drillion' dollars and the Incredible Hulk, and stood in the doorway of his bedroom, content in just watching as his wife read.

"I can feel you staring you know." She murmured, her eyes never once leaving her book. Tony smirked as he crossed the room, taking off his t-shirt as he did. She watched him over the top of her book, as she did every night, he didn't notice, just like always. She finished her chapter before pressing her bookmark into the the spine and putting it on her bedside cabinet.

"You alright?" She nodded, adjusting the blanket around her legs. "Bored of being casted yet?" She rolled her eyes with a smirk that he couldn't help but kiss off her face. "Not long now Baby. Seven weeks will go in no time." He took off his jeans and slid in beside her, lying on his back. She let her eyes wander over him lazily. "Careful Zi, you're gonna make me blush." She chuckled before very carefully laying down and fitting herself under his arm. He wrapped his arm around her instinctually and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Well we discovered some things today huh?" She smiled.

"We learnt that Abby has taught her three year old to say forensic scientist." Tony chuckled.

"Yup, and that there will be another McAuthor in the family. Oh, and that our son has good taste." She tilted her head up just enough to see him. "Well, he thinks you're pretty so he clearly inherited the DiNozzo taste in women." Ziva batted her eyelashes with a smile. "And you are, pretty I mean." A gentle rose tint coloured her cheeks. "Well, no, to be fair you're absolutely stunning and I cannot for the life of me work out what I did to deserve you." Her blush deepened as she pressed her face into his chest, her rare but powerful shyness getting the better of her. "I'm glad I did it though, and would do, over and over again if it meant I could have you." She kissed his chest and took the hand that wasn't wrapped around her in hers. "Baby, if I ask you something, do you promise not to shut down?" He could feel the sudden tension in her as she nodded hesitantly. "Would you prefer I didn't ask?"

"I…I love you, and I trust you. Must I answer though?" Tony didn't even hesitate as he squeezed her hand.

"Not if you're uncomfortable, just don't shut down. If you don't wanna answer then tell me. Deal?" She nodded. "Good. So. I guess the best way to ask is outright so here it goes." He paused. "Did something happen in London? Something you're not telling me about?"

"Is this about Malachi? Because I can assure you that we are strictly platonic. Tony I would never…"

"I know. I know okay, I get that he's a friend and that maybe once upon a time there was something there, and I don't need to know about that, but now you've both moved on and are just great friends. I get that and that's not what I'm asking."

"So…" She started quietly. "What _are _you asking?" Tony sighed and stroked her waist through the cotton of her night shirt.

"I'm asking if something happened, that." He paused and took a steadying breath as he decided if he really wanted to know the details of what he was about to ask. "I'm asking if something happened that makes you not want to be intimate with me. If something happened or…if someone did something?" She shook her head as she sat up.

"It is not _that _Tony." She saw the relief in his eyes and knew that even thinking it was a possibility would have been eating him alive. "It really is not _that_."

"So, what is it? If it's not _that_?" She sighed and started playing with her hands, the hem of her night shirt, anything to avoid eye contact. "What's wrong Zivie? Talk to me. Please."

"You very nearly lost me." She sighed.

"I know. I've had nightmares about it ever since you left." She looked at him, guilt shining in her eyes. "Hey, that's not your fault, don't go blaming yourself." She shook her head.

"I am not." She murmured. He carefully and slowly ran his hand up and down her uncast thigh.

"Baby? Don't shut down." He urged quietly. She gave him a small smile.

"I guess, I guess I am afraid, you will, maybe, not find me attractive anymore." She heard the disbelieving sound he made but pressed on regardless. "I have a lot of new scars Tony. Seven bullets were taken out of me."

"And? Do you really think I see your scars when I look at you? I see you Ziva." He kissed her hand. "I fell in love with you before Somalia, and I still found you attractive afterwards. I had two children with you; you can't have doubted how attractive I found you?" She shook her head. "Right then. I'm not gonna stop finding you amazingly attractive just 'cause you've got a couple new scars." He kissed the inside of her wrist gently. "I promise." She nodded slowly. "You believe me, right?"

"I…I guess. But…" She sighed and stared at the bed between them.

"But what Baby?"

"I guess I wonder if you trust me. The last time we made love was down to grief at the thought of loosing each other and the time before that conceived Alaigha, and we both know how that went. I guess I just question if you trust me to not play you again." He sat up and slid his hand into her hair, softly pulling her to him as he kissed her. Once he'd broken the kiss, he slowly pulled her night shirt over her head and traced her newest scars lovingly. She was still wary, he got that, but he would prove to her that she was still beautiful and that he would always trust her.


	67. Chapter 67

Author's Note-M for a reason guys.

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She trembled as his thumb gently skimmed her lower lip. His eyes never left hers; allowing him to see that while she was still unsure, she trusted him unquestioningly and that gave him the confidence to carry on. He trailed his hand down to the side of her neck before he lowered himself to lie beside her and kiss her gently. It was more loving than passionate. She shuddered as her eyes slipped closed. He kissed her once more before slowly moving down to gently kiss the base of her neck while his hand stroked the unfathomably soft skin just below her ear. It was quiet, so much so that Tony nearly missed it, but she moaned and it made his heart soar. His hand left her neck to ever-so-lightly stroke his finger tips up and down her rib cage. She arched her back gently as her breathing hitched. He kissed her lips once more, reassuringly, and she let out a shaky breath. He slowly moved his hand down to the base of her torso before pushing gently against her skin as he moved back up to her cleavage.

"Baby?" He questioned in a whisper directly into her ear.

"It is okay, I am okay." She murmured back and he kissed her once more before moving his hand to the side to cup her breast gently. Her breathing hitched again but he could tell that it wasn't uncertainty. With slow, gentle movements, ensuring that his hand never left her, he manipulated her sensitive skin. She whimpered and clutched to his spare hand, holding it in her own. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder as he swapped sides to manipulate her other breast. Her other hand curled into the bed sheets below her as she arched into his hand even further. Careful not to spook her, he moved down her body to press butterfly kisses across her chest, his hand never leaving hers. Her back hit the mattress as he moved further down to caress her taut stomach with his hand and mouth. He slowly trailed down until he was sat between her knees. He squeezed her hand, knowing she wasn't looking at him and waited until she squeezed back to kiss her pubic bone. She arched and whimpered softly. He kissed his way to her inner thighs. She moaned softly when he placed deep, sucking kisses to the skin he found. Painstakingly slowly, he moved up to where she really wanted him. He gently kissed just above her clit and her whimper increased in volume.

"You okay?" She nodded almost frantically and jolted as he gave her one long firm swipe with his tongue from bottom to top. He didn't wait for her to recover from it before firmly sliding his index finger into her. She cried out gently, as her hips met the intrusion. He slowly drew it out until just his finger tip remained before pressing back into her.

"Tony." She whimpered. He groaned softly, she knew how much her saying his name like that affected him. He moved up to kiss her without removing his finger.

"It's okay Baby. I'm here." She clutched to the back of his head with her spare hand, kissing him back with a passion he was yet to see from her. It spurred him on to remove his finger and align their bodies. "Ready?" She nodded and groaned gently. Carful to keep himself controlled, he slowly pressed into her until he'd filled her to the hilt and she was a mess of gasps and rasped moans beneath him. She rolled her hips and he took the hint. He slowly, lovingly moved in and out of her, drawing out breathy moans and gasps from her. "I love you." He assured her before kissing her gently. She kissed him back as her non-casted leg wrapped around his back while the hand not holding his, held onto his shoulder tightly.

"I…I love you…too." She moaned gently. They moved as one until her breathing hitched once again. "Tony." She whimpered and he sped up a little.

"It's okay Baby, let go. I'll catch you, fall." He urged gently and she fell apart beneath him. She whimpered rather than screamed against his lips as he kissed her. Her muscles fluttered, urging him to follow her and he obliged.

Once they had both recovered, Tony rolled off of her and pulled her closer to him until she was snuggled into his chest. He squeezed the hand he hadn't realised he was still holding, before wrapping the other one around her back. She pressed a kiss to his chest.

"You believe I still find you stunningly attractive and trustworthy now?" He chuckled and she giggled, blushing gently.

"I believe you." She nodded, pressing another kiss to his chest. "Thank you." He smiled and kissed the top of his head.

"Anytime." She snorted a laugh before snuggling back into him and drifting into sleep. "I love you." She hummed in acknowledgment as they both fell asleep.


	68. Chapter 68

"Ah, mon chéri bonjour." Ziva chuckled down the phone at eight the next morning. "Oui c'est moi… Ne vous connais encore des gens dans la DGSE?…Génial…Puis-je mettre un de mes amis en contact avec vous?…Je vous remercie, merci beaucoup. Au revoir." Tony sat up and rubbed his eyes while she hung up the phone, tightened her robe and placed her phone back on the cabinet. "Hi." She smiled as she noticed he was up.

"French?" He asked sleepily. She nodded, pressing a kiss to his head. "How long have you been up talking to random countries?" Ziva chuckled looking at the clock.

"Umm, I think I made my first call at maybe five?" His jaw went slack. "I woke up naturally about half an hour before so I thought I would start calling in favours for Abby." He tilted his head to the side.

"And you think her parents are in France?" Ziva shrugged.

"I have been calling people all over the world. All of my contacts have contacts in law enforcement and other _specialist _organisations." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "I thought the more people I could get her in contact with, the better chance she's got of finding her birth parents." Tony swung his legs out of bed and slipped his boxers on before really taking in his wife's appearance.

"Say Zi?"

"Yeah?" Tony smiled cheekily.

"Have you got anything on underneath that?" She smiled gently and his smile doubled as he pulled her onto his lap, careful not to hit himself with her cast, and settled his hands on her waist beneath the deep purple silk. She chuckled as she kissed him gently.

"We should probably go wake the children." She murmured against his lips as he kissed her again. He hummed against the column of her throat before pressing a kiss to it, causing a small moan to leave her. "Tony." She pulled him back up to her lips. "I am going to go wake the children now." She smiled before picking up her crutches and going to the children's rooms. Tony shook his head with a smile, just as amazed as he was last night at how she could ever question how beautiful she was before going to have a shower. After Ziva's reaction to him this morning, a cold one.

Ziva's cell rang non stop all day. By lunchtime Tony and Oscar had made a game of guessing which language she would pick up in. Tony had opened a family size bag of jelly sweets and given one to the person who got it right each time.

"Italian." Oscar said with confidence. Tony thought for a moment.

"Spanish." Tony replied, pretty much knowing by now it was useless to bet against him. He had already given him half the bag. It would seem that their son had developed his grandfather's ability to guess correctly ninety nine percent of the time.

"Ciao, hai trovato qualcosa?" Tony sighed while Oscar smiled widely and took another sweet to add to his pile. Tony readjusted a month old Alaigha who was lead against his chest as he lead across the sofa. Oscar sat in front of him, leaning against the front while Ziva paced from the living room to the kitchen and back using one crutch, not paying attention to her boys' game. She hung up once more and sat in the armchair with a small sigh.

"Any luck?" She shook her head.

"No, she is running checks and all sorts but so far no luck." She noticed the small heap of sweets littering the coffee table but didn't even bother asking. "You boys having fun?" Oscar nodded enthusiastically, popping a sweet into his mouth. Ziva's phone rang again. "Not too many of them or your will not eat your dinner." Ziva chastised, pointing at the heap before getting up again to take the call.

"French." Oscar stated excitedly. Tony shook his head.

"I reckon this one will be English." Oscar put another sweet into his mouth thoughtfully.

"Hi Abby. No, I have however been in touch with everyone I can think of." Tony laughed triumphantly, startling his sleepy daughter. She didn't cry as Tony was quick to shush her.

"I win." Tony chuckled. Oscar nodded and held out his hand to shake Tony's, who copied him with a smile.


	69. Chapter 69

Author's Note-I'm sorry! As those of you who follow me on twitter are aware, I've had a crippling case of writer's block! This chapter kicked me well and truly. And, more good news, just for the fun of it, I am now fighting what I think will be a cold and am getting braces tomorrow. I don't know when the next chapter will be ready but please hang in there. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. NYLF xx

* * *

Seven weeks had passed and three days before their wedding anniversary and Oscar's birthday, Tony and Ziva made their way to have Ziva's cast removed while the kids played at Gibbs'. Tony could feel the nervous energy rolling off her as they sat there, hand in hand in the waiting room.

"It's alright." He murmured, squeezing her hand. She nodded.

"I know. I guess I am worried that they will just put me in a different cast." He gently stroked his thumb back and forth across her hand.

"It'll be fine. I have a good feeling. You'll walk out of here on both legs." He smiled cheekily at her. "Which will be useful, you haven't shaved your leg in eight weeks." He laughed as she scowled at him.

"I hope so; I do not want to be in a cast for Saturday." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"Even if you are, I couldn't be prouder to have you on my arm." They had planned to go for dinner Saturday evening after having everyone over during the day. None of the group was big on parties yet and they were all quite content with having their cousins over, so long as there was cake. That was always a big stipulation. "Have you and Abs decided what you're wearing yet?" Ziva smiled shyly as she nodded.

"I hope you like it." He chuckled as he leant in to rest his forehead on hers.

"I like you. It doesn't matter what you wear. I couldn't care less if you turned up in a bath towel, a clown suite or a diamond encrusted dress. I would still be so proud to be with you." He kissed her gently. "I love you." He murmured.

"I love you too." She matched his volume before kissing him again.

"Ziva?" A nurse brought them out of their own little world from the double doors to their left. With barely any help from Tony, Ziva got to her feet and they both followed the nurse.

Ziva sat against the pillows while her doctor carefully cut along the side of her cast keeping to the line Tony had made sure the children left blank so they could preserve their pictures. Ziva held her breath, really hoping that everything had gone to plan. Once her cast was off and had been handed to Tony, Ziva was wheeled off to go have another x-ray done. For fifteen minutes, Tony sat in the waiting room, holding a full-leg cast, trying not to feel really awkward before Ziva walked, crutch free, back through the double doors with a smile on her face that could light the whole of DC for a month. Tony was immediately on his feet, cast forgotten on the seat he vacated while he ran to embrace her tightly, both laughing, happy tears shining in Ziva's eyes.

"So, you're all fixed huh?" Tony smiled against her skin as he held her close.

"Uh huh. My leg is fixed, the bone has healed and the pins are staying in so I am now free from hospital. At least until I am next injured." She chuckled.

"I guess that means you'll be back at work soon huh?"

"Vance said I had to be healed and Leia had to be at least three months old, as of Sunday both are true, which means I can go back Monday." Tony smiled hesitantly, she felt it. "I promise I will be careful." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I know you will Honey. It's just that Oscar has gotten used to you being there, us being there, from the moment he wakes up till we put him to bed. I am worried it will unsettle him." Ziva contemplated while she gently kissed his neck.

"We shall talk to him. It will all be fine. Trust me." He leant down to capture her lips.

"I always do."

Saturday morning rolled around and both adults were ripped from their sleep at seven o'clock in the morning by Oscar jumping up and down on their bed. While Tony cracked open his eyes long enough to assess that the situation didn't require a gun and a knee-jerk reaction, Ziva simply snuggled closer to him, wrapping her no longer cast leg more firmly around his.

"Ima! Papa! Wake up! It's my birthday!" Tong chuckled sleepily while he watched his son's smile light up the room. He pulled Ziva closer to him as he motioned for Oscar to join them. The little boy crawled into the space on the other side of Tony and laid his head on his chest so he was facing a drifting Ziva. "Time to get up Ima." He murmured gently as he patted her hair. "It's my birthday." Ziva smiled as Tony kissed the top of her head.

"What time is it?" Ziva mumbled, pressing a kiss to Tony's chest.

"Seven." Tony's voice rumbled through his chest, vibrating against her cheek. She smiled, revelling in the familiar action. "Happy anniversary Baby." Ziva smiled again before pushing herself up to kiss him slowly. Oscar huffed indignantly that they had forgotten his birthday and that they were ignoring him. Ziva smiled into the kiss, she was feeling very smiley. "Hey Oscar, why don't you go get dressed and brush your teeth and then me and Ima will join you okay?" He eyed them suspiciously but nodded all the same before scrambling off the bed and back out of the room. Once he was out of ear shot, Tony rolled them both so Ziva was lead under him with his hands either side of her head.

"You got rid of your four year old so you could proposition me?" Ziva chuckled, placing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. Tony smiled.

"Nope, I got rid of my four year old so I could kiss you senseless." He leant in and captured her mouth, kissing her passionately while he pressed his knee between her legs.

"No, Tony, not when Oscar will be back any minute." She reasoned, pulling away from his mouth only long enough to say it before he kissed her again.

"I'm not starting anything. I just want you to know that four years of marriage and two kids later, I still think you're gorgeous and I have never loved you more than I do right now." He kissed her lovingly before pulling back and stroking a hair off her cheek. "Happy anniversary." He repeated with a smile.

"Happy anniversary." She whispered, smiling, before kissing him one last time.


	70. Chapter 70

Author's Note-I am so sorry this took me so long! Update, I am still ill, but hopefully over the worst and braces suck! I even get to have more on the fourth of July, which is fun! I'm hoping the next chapter will come quicker but no promises. Enjoy. NYLF xx

* * *

By the time Jimmy, Breena and Kayla arrived, baring gifts, at ten, Abby, McGee and the kids, Ducky and Gibbs were all already set up in the lounge, with Oscar and Tony, giving Ziva some time to spend with Alaigha. She changed her and got her dressed into her party dress, the cutest little black and white polka dot number with a red ribbon around the waist and matching headband to keep her curls from her face, before sitting in the rocking chair for a few minutes. Despite being home now for just over two months, Ziva had barely had any bonding time with her daughter. She couldn't hold her unless she was laid in bed or on the couch, the rocking chair was too uncomfortable with her cast and to stand she had to use both hands for her crutches, and since her milk had dried up due to lack of use in the seventeen days she was unconscious, she was no longer the one to solely feed her. Ziva gently rocked them back and forth, humming half forgotten lullabies to her smiling happy girl. She gently adjusted her into one arm while she traced her tiny features with her other hand. She broke into a smile which Ziva quickly reciprocated.

"You are happy today Angel." Ziva smiled as Alaigha held her hand in both of hers and gently sucked her finger tip. "Are you hungry Tateleh?" She gently removed her fingers from her mouth and dried them on the blanket on the back of the chair. Tony arrived in the doorway just as Ziva stood up.

"Hey." He greeted, kissing Ziva's cheek and Leia's forehead as they came into reach. "Oscar, Ava and Kayla are having races up and down the street. Everyone's watching them. I thought I'd come check where my two precious girls were." He smiled at Alaigha who giggled at her daddy's face causing both adults to stop dead. "Did she just…?" Ziva nodded slowly as a huge smile blossomed on her face. Tony scooped his daughter up and cuddled her close, swinging her around the room, making her laugh again. Ziva laughed right along with her before kissing her all over and kissing Tony deeply.

Once they were suitably calm again after Alaigha's new milestone, the three of them all rejoined the party out front. Abby was the first to notice them and was quick to scoop the baby into her arms.

"Hello little girl." She cooed, tapping her nose as she lay in her arms. "This is a very pretty dress you have on." Ziva laughed as she readjusted her daughter's skirt while Tony had made his way over to the others all watching the races.

"Well, I should hope she thinks it is pretty huh Princess, seeing as she brought it for you." Abby smiled widely. "Where are the twins?" Abby looked up from the baby to watch the kids run, and wheel, up and down the street.

"They're trying to race." Ziva watched them as they toddled after their cousins.

"How old are they now like eighteen months?" Abby nodded.

"Yeah, just over. I can't believe they're so big. Y'know, it kinda makes me want another one." Ziva turned to her in shock. "We're not trying." Abby assured her. "It'll just be a shame to not have a baby in the family soon." Ziva gently held Alaigha's hand, making her smile at her.

"Not too soon." She looked up at her friend. "Besides, if any of us have another, we will not be able to fit them all in one car, and is three not enough Abs?" Abby chuckled while she passed Leia back to Ziva.

"Yes, more than, it's just nice to have a baby at home that's all. Pretty soon Oscar, Ava and Kayla will be starting preschool and Princess Leia here will be starting day-care as of Monday. It's just; do you ever wonder where the time goes?" Ziva nodded.

"All the time."

The next few hours found all of the adults running up and down the street, alternating between letting the kids win and chasing them around as they squealed. By three o'clock, Ziva was collapsed on the sidewalk, panting hard as she gave Leia her bottle, sat with Gibbs and Ducky watching Jimmy, Breena, McGee, Abby and Tony all chase the kids up and down the block. Oscar and Ava were laughing their heads off as Kayla expertly dodged all of the adults while they bobbed and weaved. So far, the adults were loosing, spectacularly.

"Ima! Ima look!" Oscar called, running over to her and skidding to a halt just before they collided. "The grown ups are silly aren't they Ima? They're not catching us." Ziva put a straw in a juice box with a smile and made him stand and drink slowly before letting him run off again.

"Look how happy they all are." She murmured, awed by the sheer amount of laughter accompanying the ever present smiles from the group. Gibbs placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

"They have every reason to be happy Ziver. Look at your family, your brothers and sister, your nieces and nephew, your son and daughter. Look at them Ziver, and see just how happy they all are. Never forget these moments." She covered his hand with her own before turning to face him with a concerned smile.

"Are you okay, Gibbs? You have been acting very, pensive, lately." He waved her off with his other hand but she wasn't falling for it. "You would tell me, if there was something to tell, yes?" He nodded and squeezed her shoulder again.

"I'm fine Ziver. Enjoy your day with your family. Don't waste these precious moments worrying about an old guy like me." He smiled. He knew she didn't believe him, but she released his hand all the same and passed him the baby so she could go retrieve Oscar's birthday cake. They could do it outside and then go back to playing. His overnight bag was already packed, as was Alaigha's and everything was set for their evening to begin later. They had time to have fun and play. After the time they'd had recently, they all deserved it.


	71. Chapter 71

Once they had shipped the kids off to Abby's for the night, Tony had jumped in the shower leaving Ziva to get ready. She'd washed her hair just after the children had left and had let it dry into her natural elegant waves that Tony loved and had then left it down. Her blood red cocktail dress accentuated her bust, while still being the right side of the slutty-or-flattering line, before fitting into the curve of her waist, detailed with a long black silk ribbon tied in a bow at her hip, before flaring out slightly at her hips into gentle ruffles and ending just above her knee. She applied a red lipstick, dark enough to be daring but not so much so that it washed her out completely, and eyeliner before topping it all off with a simplistic black clutch and heels. Tony whistled his approval as he exited the bathroom wearing only a towel around his waist.

"My, my Zi. Is there anything that doesn't make you look fabulous?" She smiled shyly, nervously tracing one of her scars that sat just above the top of her outfit.

"I have managed to hide the rest, this one; however, I can do nothing about." She sighed. Tony slowly moved so he was behind her and slipped his arms under hers and around her, leaning down so she could see them both in the dressing table mirror she was sat in front of.

"I wouldn't care if they were all on display, well I would, because some are in places that I would very much care if they were on display to any one but me, but my point is Ziva, I don't worry about them. You are my stunning, wonderful wife and I love you, scars and all. And believe me; _no one_ will be staring at your scars when you're wearing this." She smiled and turned so she could kiss him. "I do worry however that I will look horribly underdressed compared to you." Ziva chuckled before kissing him again.

"I would not care. I love you and today we are celebrating the fourth anniversary of our marriage." She paused and shook her head with a smile. "I still cannot believe that I ever lived without you." Tony smiled slowly.

"Me either." He murmured into her ear before retracting himself from her in order to get dressed.

All eyes were immediately on them as they entered the restaurant. More specifically, all eyes were on Ziva. Tony felt a sharp stab of possessiveness as he watched the room ogle and envy his wife, while he barely got a second glance in his open collared white shirt and black Armani dinner suit, but he could understand it. She looked breathtaking, naturally he was biased- he'd seen her give birth on a bathroom floor and still thought she looked beautiful while doing it- but when she made an effort, she was truly heaven-sent. Their maître d' showed them to their table and handed them their menus before taking Tony's wine order and, after fetching it, leaving them alone. Ziva took a sip of her wine as she perused the menu. She looked up a few minutes later and met Tony's eye.

"You are staring." She smiled. He nodded.

"Can't help it. Nor can anyone else in this room." She giggled into her wine glass. Tony smiled; he loved it when she was girly like this. Badass ninja Ziva was out-of-this-world hot but girly, giggling-into-her-glass Ziva was so adorable and just so gosh darn beautiful that he couldn't stop himself from leaning across the table and kissing her gently. When he pulled back he couldn't help but revel in the lazy, loving smile that crossed her delectable features. "I can't believe I didn't make you my wife sooner." She smiled gently at him.

"We did it when it was right, for the both of us. We have plenty more years to be together." He took her left hand in his and gently twirled her wedding band.

"I love you so much." She brought their clasped hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles.

"No more than I love you."

After a wonderful, and expensive, meal and more than a little too much wine and, very expensive, French champagne, Tony and Ziva caught a cab home and, after much fumbling and giddy giggling for the both of them, managed to make their way inside. They danced around the living room to whatever played on the radio for more than three hours, laughing and holding each other the entire time. It had been a rough couple of months and they needed the break. It was nearly two in the morning before they finally collapsed into bed and fell asleep in each other's arms. They were going to enjoy their lay-in tomorrow. The world would be waiting come Monday.


	72. Chapter 72

Author's Note-I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter. I enjoyed writing it. I know this is short but I like the way it ends and wanted them to just be a family before sending them back to work. Enjoy. NYLF xx

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Monday morning rolled around and for the first time since they put the 'I'm not sure if you trust me' incident behind them, Tony found himself awake before dawn and alone in bed. He quickly checked if Oscar had joined him, he hadn't, before getting up slowly and checking the clock, five fifteen. He surveyed the room and quickly worked out where Ziva was-both her cell and sneakers were gone-she'd gone for her first run since before she got pregnant with their daughter. He smiled and made his way downstairs after checking on the children, quickly realising that he was now up for the day and that he was in for a long one, given that today was their first day back to reality.

Ziva slid her key into the door just over half an hour later and was hit by the smell of fresh coffee. She chuckled to herself as she tossed her keys onto the table in the hall before making her way to the kitchen.

"Did I wake you?" She asked, kissing the top of his head as she passed behind him, pouring herself a glass of water and drinking it in one before refilling the glass and taking a sip.

"No, I think you were long gone by the time I woke up. I've only been up about half an hour." He smiled at her. "Nervous?" She looked at him questioningly which quickly turned to realisation as he motioned at her tank top and running shorts.

"Ah, maybe a little. I just wanted to make sure I could still out run a suspect." She kissed him slowly, before stealing his mug of coffee with a smile and jogging up the stairs for a shower, listening to him chuckle as she did. He shook his head after her before making himself another drink and settling back into the morning paper.

Ziva didn't cry when they dropped Alaigha off at day-care for the first time. Not that he really expected her to break down but the fact that he was the one with tears in his eyes did surprise him. Ziva hugged Oscar and kissed him goodbye before turning to Tony.

"It'll be okay Principessa." He murmured into his sleeping daughter's ear. "Mommy and daddy will see you just as soon as we can, I promise." He breathed a tearful sigh as he held her close. Ziva gently rested a hand on his shoulder while rubbing small circles on Alaigha's back.

"You can let go now, daddy. Your baby girl will be just fine." A single tear raced down his cheek and into her baby soft curls. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead.

"Goodbye baby. See you soon." He held her out so Ziva could kiss her, before passing her to the very patient day-care nurse. They waited until both of them were happy and settled before getting back into the car and making their way to NCIS to start their day.

"She will be okay, right?" Ziva asked slightly thickly, Tony smiled; glad he wasn't the only one having a hard time with this. He gently cupped her cheek and stroked comforting lines alone her cheek bone.

"She's a mini ninja baby. She'll be just fine. And, if she's not…"He felt her tense at the very suggestion. "Then the day-care will call us and we can be there in minutes. Okay?" She nodded before turning her head so as to kiss his palm. "I'm proud of you Ziva." She smiled gently.

"I cannot keep her with me at all times Tony, I must learn to let go, as I did Oscar."

"I'm still proud." She chuckled quickly.

"As am I of you."


	73. Chapter 73

They were hand in hand when they stepped off the elevator and walked into the bullpen to be greeted by McGee and Gibbs. They put their stuff away before sitting at their desks and switching on their computers for what felt like the first time in years.

"Good to have you back guys." McGee smiled.

"It's good to be back, I think." Tony smiled back. Gibbs turned to Ziva, watching as she held the family portrait from her desk close.

"She'll be alright y'know Ziver. She's tough, like her mom." Ziva smiled sadly at the photo before looking up to meet his eye.

"I know." She murmured before taking a deep breath and replacing the photo to her desk and starting to answer her backlog of emails she had accumulated in the last three months.

It was lunch before they got a call out, by which time, Ziva had caught up and Tony was nearly done. They all grabbed their gear and were quickly off to their crime scene; a children's play park, the apparent resting place of their latest victim. Gibbs dished out orders and the team quickly got to work, moving with a synchronicity that didn't betray that they'd spent the last three months apart. Ziva went to Gibbs' side to help with witness statements while the two men sketched, shot, bagged and tagged.

"Good afternoon, my name is Agent Ziva DiNozzo and this is Agent Gibbs." Ziva introduced them to a young woman cradling her sleeping toddler on her hip. "We would like to ask you some questions about what happened." The young woman stared blankly past them, watching as Ducky and Jimmy worked the body.

"His name is Ryan. Ryan Lyder." Her voice faltered, but gave off an undertone of relief rather than sadness.

"How did you know him?" Ziva's question was soft, non-threatening but the moment it was out of her mouth their witness's eyes snapped to her.

"You don't know?" Ziva floundered, looking at Gibbs for help he didn't know how to give.

"No, we have only just discovered his identity. Should we know something?" She scoffed.

"He's a paedophile. He targets navy kids." The bottom dropped out of Ziva's stomach as bile forced its way up her throat. "No one's managed to pin it on him in the last three years but maybe he's finally got what he deserved. That…" She spat. "Isn't murder, it's justice."

"Did you wake up this morning, _wanting _to be the primes suspect in a murder?" Gibbs asked. She shook her head.

"Listen, you can check. I was at Nathaniel's day-care with him this morning, Jennifer Peters, check, feel free. But if you're looking for sympathy for him, you've come to the wrong neighbourhood. No one here will shed a tear for that monster." Ziva wrote down the information and thanked her before walking back to the team with Gibbs in tow.

Tony noticed the glare she shot the corpse the moment Ziva started walking towards them.

"Baby? What's wrong?" She shook her head, trying to clear images from her brain.

"He…" She faltered, shaking her head again, trying desperately to not pay attention to the bile still rising in her throat. Tony ripped off his gloves and pulled her to him, holding her close as she practically vibrated with anger.

"Witness says he's a paedophile, navy kids." A dark cloud settled on the group as the four parents in the group all took a subconscious step back. Gibbs turned to Ducky.

"Work fast Duck. We need to eliminate every one of the parents who've accused him." Ducky nodded before he and Jimmy transferred him onto the gurney and into the coroner's van. "I _know _that none of you want to investigate this. Whether you've admitted it to yourselves or not, you all think this is justice, I know. But we remain professional, or I bench you, got it?" They all nodded while McGee laid a gentle hand on Ziva's back and Tony held her closer. This was going to be a rough case.

The three agents were sat at their desks, working furiously. They had each taken a year and were collecting every accusation made against their victim, an ex-petty officer who had been discharged on medical grounds six weeks before the first accusation. They each had rather a lengthy list and had only covered a few months in their respective years so far.

"I do not blame whoever did this." Ziva announced suddenly. McGee sighed; glad he wasn't the first to voice the mutual opinion.

"Me either. If it was Ava, or the twins." He shuddered violently. "I'd kill them too." Tony nodded before shaking his head with a sad, hollow laugh. "What is it?"

"Jennifer Peters, the woman you spoke too, she accused him twelve times in three months last year." He sighed. "Her twelve year old daughter refused to leave the house because she was scared of what he'd done to her and if he'd do it again. Nathaniel, her two year old, he's shown signs of abuse too. Bastard." He stood suddenly. "I'm gonna go get coffee, I'll be back." Ziva watched him leave before returning to her own list. Gibbs stormed into the bullpen not five minutes later.

"Where's Tony?" Ziva looked up quickly.

"He went to let off steam. He will be fine and will be professional; he just needed to get away from it for a moment." Gibbs nodded, he got it.

"Listen, I've just spoken to Jimmy and Abs and I'll talk to Tony when he gets back, I just wanna let you out if you want to. If you want to walk away from this case, I understand." He could see that both of his agents considered it.

"I want to be able to prove, if we can, that Lyder did what these parents said he did and bring those poor children and their parent's peace. I will not walk away until I do." McGee nodded in agreement.

"We're okay Boss." Gibbs nodded before demanding everything they'd gathered so far.

They had been working tirelessly for hours when Tim put his head in his hands and laughed hollowly.

"What's up?" Tony asked gently. McGee turned his monitor to him.

"Lilly Goodwin, mother of Pippa, who Ryan abused about a month ago, two days after her fifth birthday. Her DNA was on the body and she has no alibi. Not to mention the very public death threats."

"So one of that monster's victim's parents took revenge for him ruining her daughter's life and now we have to arrest her for it." She shook her head before getting up and grabbing her gun and cell. "Justice indeed."

Lilly's tearful and lengthy confession on tape and her hands in handcuffs, the team were able to go home. All five of the parents met in Abby's lab to pick up their children. Oscar ran straight to Ziva who quickly hoisted him onto her hip and held him tightly while Tony gently lifted his sleeping daughter out of her car seat and nuzzled her onto his shoulder, Jimmy unclipped Kayla from her chair and held her close while McGee took both the twins and Abby hugged Ava tightly. The children would never know how much being able to hold them meant to their parents so just enjoyed the attention. Once all the adults were suitably grounded, Jimmy strapped Kayla back in, bid everyone goodbye and took her home while the others all turned to each other.

"Shall we all just say it? We'd have all done the same thing, right?" Tony asked, gently stroking Alaigha's back. They all nodded.

"In a heartbeat." Abby concluded before switching off all of her machines and twirling Ava around to make her laugh. "Let's go home huh baby?" Ava nodded and rested her head on her Mom's shoulder. Abby kissed the top of her head before ushering the team out of the lab. Tony slung Leia's car seat over his arm, not yet wanting to put her in it, said goodbye to his nieces and nephew, kissed Abby's forehead, squeezed McGee's shoulder and then they all parted ways to go to their respective cars to go home. Each one hoping desperately that they would never have to be in Lilly's position.


	74. Chapter 74

Author's Note-150 people! Thank you for sticking by me through this. Keep reading, keep reviewing and keep enjoying. It makes me happy. :D All my love. NYLF xx

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Just over a week later and Tony and Ziva had almost gotten used to delivering both of their children to day-care. They had at least stopped crying every morning. They arrived at work on their second Tuesday back and Gibbs immediately turned them back around and half frogmarched them into the elevator, quickly followed by McGee.

"Shootout. Three petty officers engaged in a fire fight about half an hour ago. Two are still shooting." Gibbs relayed before taking a long gulp of coffee.

By the time they reached their destination, the gunfire had stopped. The team exited their cars and after hand signals from Gibbs; Jimmy and Ducky stayed in the van, Tony and Ziva rounded to the back of the house and McGee went with Gibbs to the front door. They all entered quickly and quietly and started to clear the house.

"Clear!" Tony shouted from the lounge.

"Clear!" Gibbs' call came from the kitchen.

"Clear!" McGee said as he left the dinning room.

"All clear!" Ziva shouted from upstairs followed by a gunshot. "Okay, I take that back!" Tony, McGee and Gibbs ran up the stairs to help her, where she was currently engaged in a fire fight with their remaining suspect. In a flurry of activity, and rounds being fired from the five guns, their suspect went down just as Ziva cried in pain holding her arm tightly where a bullet had grazed her pretty deep.

"What happened? Zi?" Tony asked, quickly by her side while McGee checked their suspect's nonexistent pulse and took his weapon.

"Umm, I think." She paused and looked passed her husband to her boss, who was leaning against the wall with his hand cradling his forehead. "I think Gibbs just shot me." The other two agents turned to look at their boss in disbelief. He was still leaning against the wall, with his eyes shut, trying to breathe through the pain in his head.

Tony quickly texted Jimmy, telling him that it was safe for them both to enter the house and that Ziva had been injured before taking the handkerchief out of his pocket, fatherhood had taught him that there was _always _a use for a handkerchief, and holding it tightly to the top of her arm. She gasped in pain and it hurt his heart to know he was causing at least some of it but also knew she'd thank him later. For now, however, despite the concern for his wife, the anger at his boss was his main thought.

"What the hell Gibbs?" He yelled just as they heard the door open downstairs, McGee quickly ran down to greet them and fill them in. "What, couldn't you see her or something?" He hadn't heard Ducky and Jimmy come up the stairs so hadn't realised they were there until Ducky laid a gentle calming hand on his shoulder.

"Let me have a look at her Anthony. You may argue with Jethro in a moment." Tony was quick to step out of the way. He watched on as the doctor helped Ziva to sit against the wall while he assessed her. Unable to even look at his boss and not willing to watch as Ziva winced, Tony turned to face Jimmy and McGee who were talking mutedly over the body at the other end of the corridor. "It's just a flesh wound thankfully; I can see no major damage." Ducky caught Tony's attention only minutes later. "I still think you should go to the Emergency Room, you will need stitches." Ziva smiled at him.

"Thank you Ducky. I will go just as soon as we have finished processing the scene." Tony shook his head, crouching beside her.

"I think you should go now, Baby. God only knows what's in this house and the last thing you need on your _second week back_ is an infection." The whole team knew that the emphasis had been for Gibbs' benefit. He gently stroked a hair out of her face.

"McGee cannot process three bodies and crime scenes by himself." She wasn't stupid, she knew that even mentioning their boss to him in the mood he was would set him off.

"I can process and load the bodies Ziva." Jimmy assured her gently coming to join the group. "Dr Mallard could take you to the hospital and we could work here." Tony and Ziva both turned from him to Ducky.

"It is alright with me my dear." Ziva nodded after a moment's contemplation and Tony was quick to carefully help her up.

Once they had Ducky and Ziva loaded safely into the charger, no one thought the van was particularly appropriate, the team got to work. Gibbs had rejoined his team and was helping with the effort, more than a little aware of the icy atmosphere. They processed quickly and with a little help from both Tony and McGee, Jimmy loaded the three corpses into the van and took them back to NCIS. Gibbs went with him. While Jimmy wouldn't talk to him, more out of not knowing what to say than cold shoulder, he was the least likely to take a swing. McGee and Tony loaded the evidence into the back of the last car and left the scene.

"What the hell happened out there Tim?" Tony asked, resting his head in his hands, suddenly very grateful McGee had gently insisted he drove. The younger man made quick work of signalling and pulling over. "One minute everything was fine, not exactly peachy, I don't like it when Zi's in a fire-fight but I know she can handle it so still fine and then she's crying out in pain and Gibbs has shot her." He sighed. McGee laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezed. He had no idea how to answer his question either.

"Tony, I know right now you are deathly furious at him, but I'm worried." Tony tilted his head in his palms to face his colleague.

"Why?" It was clear that Ziva had been Tony's only priority.

"Because after he, shot, Ziva, Gibbs was practically collapsed against the wall holding his head as if it were on fire. Is there something wrong with him he hasn't told me?" Tony rubbed his face before leaning back into his seat with a gentle thud.

"If there is…" He stared slowly. "He hasn't told me either. Ducky didn't seem to know anything either and he'd be the first person boss'd tell if there _was _something wrong, medically I mean." He paused for a moment before turning to the younger man with a face that left no room for misinterpretation. "If he put any us at risk today by not telling someone about an issue he was having I'll kill him." McGee nodded with a sigh.

"Yeah." He pulled back onto the road and continued their journey. "I know."


	75. Chapter 75

Author's Note-Just a little thank you. I truly cannot belive that in just six reviews I have FIVE HUNDRED on this story alone! And this is my ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIRST CHAPTER of the series! I cannot belive it! Thank you so much. All my love, NYLF xx

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Ziva sat perfectly still while they stitched up her arm. Ducky sat beside her and held her hand gently. They were both in their own little worlds. Once they had bandaged her arm and given her painkillers, she was free to go. Ducky slowly led them out before making sure Ziva was sat on a bench so he could go and get the car. Almost the moment she was alone, Ziva's phone buzzed in her pocket.

"Hey, Honey, how'd it go?" She sighed gently, leaning back into the bench.

"Eleven stitches." Tony winced down the line.

"Ouch. I'm sorry Darling. How does it feel? You in pain?" She shook her head subconsciously.

"No, they gave me painkillers. We will need to write this up, yes?"

"Yeah. IA wants our reports ASAP." She sighed again.

"What do I say Tony? How can I say that Gibbs, _Gibbs _of all people, shot me? And what about him holding his head, what if there is something wrong with him and he is trying to protect us from it?" She was starting to get tearful, the day's events catching up with her finally, and Tony longed to hold her and make it better.

"Shhh, Baby, it's alright. You just write it how it happened; Gibbs and IA can deal with it from there." She sniffed.

"Are you still mad at him?" She heard him switch ears and lean back in his seat.

"I think I have every right to be mad Zi, he shot you. You're my wife, I am supposed to be protective of you and hate anyone who hurts you, even our boss."

"I know." She soothed.

"I'm still mad, but your health and happiness is my main priority." She smiled. He paused for a long moment as he tried to get his thoughts in order. "McGee's worried. He just got back from the lab and says that Abs is too."

"About Gibbs?"

"Yeah." They both sighed almost simultaneously. "Is this just us being over zealous in the whole worrying thing or are you worried too?"

"I am worried too." She assured him. Ducky parked the car directly in front of her and got out to hold the door. "Tony, I am going to go. We shall talk more when I get back yes?"

"Sure. I love you." She smiled.

"I love you too." She hung up and put her phone back in her pocket. "Ever the gentleman Ducky." They exchanged a smile as she got in the car.

Ziva entered the bullpen after saying goodbye to Ducky in the elevator to find both McGee and Tony working hard and Gibbs nowhere to be seen. She slowly and silently entered the bullpen and slipped onto Tony's lap before he realised she was even in the building. He smiled at her chuckle and kissed her gently.

"Hey. I didn't know you were back." She snuggled into his shoulder and he immediately abandoned his keyboard in favour of holding her.

"I thought I would surprise you." She kissed him once more before leaning into his shoulder more fully so she could address their colleague. "I hear you and Abby are worried." Her tone was hushed and all three of them knew it was risky to have their conversation at work but also equally knew that it had to be had. McGee instantly shuffled his chair over to them and leant one elbow on the corner of Tony's desk.

"Aren't you?" She nodded.

"Gibbs would never do this on purpose and I do not know if it is just my opinion, but I trust his aim more than I do my own." Both men nodded. "So, logically, there must be something wrong, yes?"

"Logically, yeah." McGee echoed before tilting his head slightly. "He'll never tell us, you know that." Ziva '_hmmm_ed' in thought.

"Perhaps, one of us should speak to him, before we turn in our IA reports? I would hate to grass his problem down to Internal Affairs if he does not even want us to know." Tony smiled softly.

"_Up_." He murmured against her ear. "You grass someone _up_."

"Whatever." She waved him off. "But we must do something."

"I agree." Gibbs swept into the bullpen. "Your jobs. Get outta his lap." McGee pushed off of Tony's desk and came to a stop in front of his own while Ziva kissed Tony once more before going to her desk. "How's your arm?" It was gruff and void of the emotion lurking behind his eyes.

"Stitched and suitably numbed by medication. I am fit for work." He nodded once before they all lapsed into silence.

They spent the rest of the day silently. After they had all sent off their reports via email and set a paper copy on Gibbs' desk, the only job left was to write up the paperwork from their case, Ducky and Jimmy had confirmed that their three bodies shot each other. Gibbs sent them all home at three with only a 'don't you wanna pick up your own kids for once?' as explanation before disappearing himself. His agents exchanged worried looks before shutting their desks down and heading home.


	76. Chapter 76

Ziva opened the front door silently and made her way across to the basement stairs. She only had a moment to puzzle why the door was shut before she heard a yelp of pain and a curse from behind it. She was quick to draw her knife from her waist- she hadn't worn her gun- and wrench the door open before stealthily making her way down the stairs. Gibbs looked up as he heard her sigh and the slight _swish_ of the metal of her knife as she replaced it to its holster.

"Don't worry Ziver, I just cut myself." He held up the hand wrapped in an old cloth as if to prove it. She tutted as she crossed the room.

"Let me see." He glared at her but quickly backed down as she glared back.

"Fine. Here." He held out his hand. She carefully unwrapped it and assessed the damage. It had been a saw, so the cut wasn't as clean as she would've liked but it was only small and not too deep, the bleeding was already stopping.

"Wash it and then cover it. I recommend you let Ducky look at it." She patted his hand gently. He rewrapped the material before leaning against the counter.

"Reason you're here?" She slid both of her hands into her back pockets of her well-worn, faded, and frayed at both knees, jeans, making her black wide neck top slip off her left shoulder, exposing the top of her bandage. She shrugged, favouring looking at the boat he was building rather than him. "Ziver?" She still didn't turn round. She was silent for so long he wasn't sure she'd talk.

"I am worried." She shook her head. "_We _are worried." She corrected. Gibbs sighed.

"We?" She gently followed the grain of the wood with her right index finger.

"Tony and I. Abby and Tim. I have not spoken to him about it but there was something in his eyes when he took me to the hospital that makes me think Ducky too." She turned her head to catch his eye. "_We_." He smirked.

"No need to worry." She fully turned to face him with sad eyes before lifting her sleeve up to show him the white bandage encircling her arm. The bottom dropped out of his stomach.

"You shot me today, Gibbs. Unintentional as it was, it has us, me, worried." She tilted her head to the side. "I know you will not willingly tell _me_, but if something was wrong, you would tell _someone_ right?" Gibbs sat on the stool beside him with a thud.

"Why're you so sure I wouldn't tell you?" She smiled sadly.

"Because you are my father. You do not like to burden me anymore than you need to." He huffed a laugh before looking at a spot just left of her feet. "Jethro, you are scaring me." He slowly met her eye and cursed himself for being the cause of the tears pooling in them.

"I'm sorry, Ziver." She let out a shocked, scared noise, halfway between a strangled cry and a whimper, and shook her head rapidly.

"Please do not apologise Gibbs, _please_. It does not make the fear any better." He motioned her over to him and with quick strides she crossed the room and curled into his embrace. "Just tell me what is wrong." She murmured tearfully as he pressed a kiss to her hair.

"Nothing's wrong." He cleared his throat before continuing. "I _am _sorry though Ziver, I should never have been so careless." He gently ran his hand up and down her injured arm. "Honestly a week back and you get shot. And _I'm_ the one who bloody shoots you." He chuckled humourlessly until he felt her crying into his shirt.

"Do not joke. There is something wrong, I can feel it. Please, tell me." Gibbs held her tighter.

"Does Tony know you're here?" She shook her head.

"I told him I was going for a drive. I would not be surprised if he knew though. He seems to always know when I am not being entirely truthful with him." Gibbs smiled. "Is it something terrible? Is that why you will not tell me?" Gibbs pulled her to arms length and looked her hard in the eye.

"There is _nothing _wrong." It was sterner than he had meant it. He could see the hurt shining in her eyes but she nodded just the same.

"Okay. Then why did you shoot me?" He got up swiftly, nearly knocking her off balance as she grabbed onto the side.

"Can't you just let it go? It happened. I apologised. It's over." He ranted. She was clearly, and undeniably, shocked by his reaction, more so by the tone he had taken with her, but she didn't say a word as she pressed herself off of the workbench.

"I should go." She took quick steps over to the stairs and Gibbs' eyes followed her. She had climbed the first four steps before she said another word. "We care, Jethro, and we worry." She climbed the rest of the stairs and left the house just as silently as she came, ignoring the sound of Gibbs throwing his stool across the room in frustration as tears streamed down her face.


	77. Chapter 77

Ziva pulled into her driveway, turned off the engine, took off her seatbelt and rested her head on the steering wheel, trying to gather her composure before facing Tony. She'd only been there a few minutes when a gentle knock on her window startled her from her thoughts. She met Tony's eye just as he opened her door.

"You've left the lights on." He smiled gently. She sighed and switched off the headlights. "Nice drive?" He asked with a humour that only he could, bringing a half-hearted but still there chuckle from her.

"I went to see Gibbs." He nodded.

"I know." He crouched beside the car, holding onto her driver door to balance himself. "Not good?" She shook her head before crumbling. He fiercely brought her into a hug and smoothed her hair soothingly. "Shhh, it's okay."

"I think there is something really wrong Tony but he will not tell me. The stubborn 'second B's for bastard' side of him is stopping him from sharing his problems with us." He couldn't help the slight chuckle.

"Okay, well, you got shot today. So we're gonna forget about our stubborn as a mule boss and work and everything else, and we're gonna go have a hot chocolate and watch a movie. Okay?" She nodded against him, thankful as ever that he always knew exactly what she needed to ground her at any given time, especially when she didn't even know herself. "We'll deal with Gibbs later. Right now, I think we need to just have an 'us' night. Deal?"

"Deal." She murmured into his neck. "Thank you." He smiled, moving so he could capture her lips in a slow, reassuring kiss.

"Anytime Sweetheart, you know that. Come on." He stood before taking her hand and helping her out. He led them both into the house and proceeded to make her drink while she chose a movie and snuggled up on the sofa.

* * *

Six months passed without incident. There had been no feedback for IA and everyone had basically forgotten about what had happened. Tony had gone into work the day after Ziva's chat with him and had told him that he knew it had been an accident and that he was wrong in his behaviour. Gibbs had told his younger agent that he understood the reaction and would have probably done the same if it had been him. The team quickly got back to their equilibrium with only the addition of a few worried glances aimed at their boss. Their case load had decreased- something that the team had noticed but learnt not to question- which meant that they had a lot more free time on their hands. It had also meant that the day that Ava and Oscar started pre-school; the whole team were able to be there. Once they had gotten a rather nervous Oscar out of the car and gently pried his blanket out of his hand and placed it into the bottom of his backpack, Ziva and Tony had both bent to his level, straightened out his specially made 'Special Agent Ninja + Special Agent Movie Buff= Very Special Me' t-shirt and jeans and told him that it would be okay. Once Ava was stood beside him an her almost florescent purple tutu-esque skirt and black t-shirt donning a smiling skull and crossbones with a purple bow, he took her hand and they both walked in together, bringing a tear to the eyes of everyone watching.

* * *

Exactly one month later, Ziva was awoken in the early hours of the morning by her cell ringing. Despite it being on vibrate, so as not to wake the children, Alaigha's cries could be heard filtering down the baby monitor. Both adults groaned in unison as Ziva answered her phone and Tony went to see to their daughter.

"Hey, hey, hey, Principessa, what's all that noise about huh?" He asked gently, quickly taking the ten month old out of her crib and holding her close. She stopped fussing almost instantly and smiled up at him from her place on his shoulder.

"Dada!" He smiled widely, still not over the fact that her first word just a few days before had been 'dada', and her face crumpled into her gorgeous baby laughter that Tony just couldn't get enough of. "See Miss Leia, you're just a liar aren't you huh?" He asked in mock seriousness. "You weren't really sad, you just wanted attention." She giggled again and took his t-shirt into her fist tightly before brining it to her mouth. "Attention and to eat daddy's clothes. Yup, that sounds about right. Come on, shall we go see Ima huh?" She smiled around her mouthful of fist and cotton and he took it as a yes.

He walked into his bedroom just as Ziva hung up the phone and it dropped out of her hand into her lap, concerning her husband. He sat beside her on the bed, carefully and skilfully juggling their daughter as he did. "Zi?"

"They have found them." She whispered numbly, staring into the middle distance before shaking her head and flicking her gaze to her husband. "Tony, they have found them." Despite the smile on her face and the repetition of the statement in normal volume, he was still confused.

"Who's found who Zi?" He bounced the baby lightly as she gurgled happily. Ziva smiled gently and took his spare hand.

"Abby's parents. My contacts have found them."

* * *

Author's Note-There's a lot of information in this one, sorry about that, but I wanted to move the story along. NYLF xx


	78. Chapter 78

Author's Note-I know, I know, it's been a while and this is really short, but I'm trying, I promise. I don't know when the next bout of inspiration will hit me, so I'm gonna update this chapter and then work on the next one, see if I can't have another out by the weekend. Okay? Cool. Enjoy. NYLF xx

* * *

Tony's grip slipped and Ziva was quick to grab Leia before he dropped her. She quickly kissed her forehead before placing her on the floor and watching as she crawled around the floor in little circles before turning back to her gobsmacked husband. Ziva laughed nervously while he sat there with his mouth hanging open.

"Honey?" She asked gently. He shook his head, closed his mouth and cleared his throat.

"You actually found them?" She nodded. "Where?"

"They found her mom and her husband. They are currently doing relief work in Africa."

"You have a contact in Africa? Why _doesn't_ that surprise me?" She chuckled, gently placing her hand on his cheek.

"How do we tell Abby?" Tony's gaze suddenly snapped to hers.

"Oh God, I hadn't thought about that. We have to tell her though Zi."

"I agree." She murmured nodding. She sighed before lying back down beside him. Tony leant on one elbow so he was leaning over her slightly as he lay beside her.

"What's wrong?" He asked, drawing lazy patterns on her stomach atop his shirt that she'd recently stolen to sleep in. She sighed.

"I, I guess I never thought we would actually find them. I knew that my contacts were working on it, and I knew that they would not give up until I told them to but, I do not know, I just guess I gave up once the six month mark passed, you know?" She looked over to him as he nodded. "It had not even crossed my mind on how we would tell Abby that we had succeeded in actually finding them." Tony leaned over and captured her lips gently.

"We'll find a way Baby. For now, I'm going to catch our daughter and get her fed, changed and dressed for the day before we have to wake Oscar. You wanna jump in the shower while I get her ready and then we'll swap?" She nodded, pulling him back down for another kiss when he tried to move from her. She gently moved them so he was sheathing her. He chuckled, moving his kisses down to her jaw and then her neck. "We have to get up Zi." He murmured against her skin before placing one more kiss to her neck and moving up to capture her lips one last time before he jumped out of bed and scooped their giggling child from the doorway, where she had been making a break for it, and took her back to the nursery. Ziva caught her breath and got herself out of bed in order to start their day.

Once Jimmy had picked up the kids and they had made their way to work, they both stepped off the elevator hand in hand. They joined Gibbs and McGee, both of which were already hard at work, and switched on their computers without a word to either of them. McGee was the first to notice the lack of banter.

"What happened?" Tony looked up with a start.

"What do you mean 'what happened' McCriptic? Nothing's happened." He tried, and failed, to maintain eye contact with the younger man and knew the moment he dropped his gaze to his hands that he had him made.

"Tony?" Tony flicked his gaze to his wife, who was watching the exchange with interest. Gibbs looked from one agent to the other, looking as if he was watching a three way tennis match, trying to work out what was going on in his agents' heads. Ziva nodded just the once and Tony sighed.

"Zi got a phone call this morning." He turned to face her quickly, gaining strength from her encouraging gaze. "From one of her contacts." The penny was clearly dropping for both of the men to which this was news. "They've, they've found Abby's mom, Tim." All four of them shared a cautiously happy smile.

"They will not be stateside for another six weeks, so Abby will have plenty of time to work out what she wants to do. They cannot be contacted until they are on their way back into the country and I am sure this is not something we should tell them while they are in transit." McGee shook his head slowly. "We must tell her." He nodded.

"I'll tell her." He answered quietly but surely.

"You sure?" Gibbs asked gently. He trusted his agent with her happiness, had for many years now, but he knew what this could do to the forensic scientist.

"I'm sure Gibbs; it'll be better coming from me. Can I, seeing as we don't have a case…"

"Go on, go talk to her." McGee smiled before quickly making his way down to the lab.

"So, good news or bad?" Tony asked and both of the agents left in the bullpen looked at him. They had been asking themselves the same question.


	79. Chapter 79

McGee entered the lab and paused in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe, just watching his life partner as she flitted round her lab going from machine to machine. He watched as she hummed to herself, joining in with the noise she called music that he had long become accustomed to. He knew, for better or worse, what he was about to tell her would turn her life, their life, upside down irrevocably. He sighed gently, knowing that he had to tell her but still not entirely sure how yet.

"Hey Abs." She turned to face him with a huge smile.

"Hey Timmy. What's up? Do we have a case?" McGee took quick steps until he was stood directly in front of her. Before she could even ask, he tilted her head towards him with a gentle hand and kissed her deeply, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close as she wrapped hers around his neck. After a few moments, he pulled back and rested his forehead on hers. "I'll take that as a no on the case then huh? You saw me not twenty minutes ago; did you miss me that much?" She chuckled. McGee sighed and he felt her tense in his arms. "What is it? What's wrong? Who's hurt?" He chuckled despite himself and squeezed her gently before pulling back and looking her in the eye.

"Everyone's fine, Honey, I promise. But I need to tell you something. I think you should sit down." She waved him off.

"I'd rather stand. What's going on Tim?" He released his hold on her and took the tiniest of steps back so he wasn't crowding her and he could look her dead in the eye. "Tim, you're scaring me. Is it the children? Is there something wrong?" He suppressed the shudder at the thought of ever getting _that_ phone call and shook his head quickly.

"The children are fine. Abby, Angel." He paused and watched as fear, annoyance, curiosity and everything in between raced in her beautiful eyes. They were especially green today he noticed.

"Tim?" Her voice was small, timid, almost afraid. His heart started sinking.

"Ziva got a phone call this morning; they've, uhh, they've found your mom." Abby sank onto the chair behind her unceremoniously and stared at her hands, floored by the news she never expected to receive. "Honey?" He crouched before her and looked her in the eye. "Angle Pie? Say something."

"Where is, was, umm where'd they find her?" Her voice was so quiet he had to turn the music off in order to hear her properly.

"In Africa, she was doing relief work there with her husband, Zi text me the details on my way down." She nodded slowly, trying to get the news to sink in.

"And…" she cleared her throat, "and umm, my, dad?" He shrugged.

"I don't know, which I'm guessing means Ziva doesn't either." Again she nodded. McGee gently stroked her knee just below the hem of her purple tartan skirt. "Sweetheart?"

"The team knows." It wasn't a question. He nodded.

"Tony told me this morning and Gibbs was in the bullpen. We, well _I_, decided this was probably best coming from me." Abby swallowed before looking at him.

"Do you know anything about her?" He shook his head.

"But I do know that she was doing relief work, so that sounds positive huh?" He waited for the response that never came. "They won't be stateside for another month and a half so you have plenty of time to think about what you wanna do." He squeezed her knee reassuringly. "You gonna be okay?" She was silent for so long he wasn't sure she'd answer. He was just about to ask again when she nodded gently. She rose from her seat and leant against the desk.

"I'll be fine." The peppy tone she'd had not quarter of an hour ago was gone. Before him stood a shell of the woman he'd driven to work with. He came up behind her, wrapping one arm around her waist while the hand of the other covered hers where it rested on the desk.

"It's okay. No decisions need to be made now." He pressed a kiss to the base of her neck where it met her shoulder before squeezing her. "You want me to stay or…"

"Go, we both have work to do." He nodded, kissed her cheek, squeezed her hand one more time and left the lab. Abby hung her head between her arms and took a shaky breath. That certainly wasn't how she'd expected to start her day.


	80. Chapter 80

The moment McGee came back into the bullpen, Tony threw his backpack at him and motioned at him to follow him into the elevator.

"What's going on?" Tony hit the ground floor button before turning to him.

"Bomb. Ziva and Gibbs are already on their way." He breathed deeply for a couple of breaths before looking slightly awkwardly at the younger man. "How'd Abs take it?" McGee sighed.

"She's putting a brave face on it."

"But…?"

"But I think she's terrified. I don't know if she's gonna cope, let alone what she's gonna do." Tony clapped McGee's shoulder.

"She'll be alright. We'll look after her." They exchanged a smile before practically running out of the now open doors and to their car.

By the time they pulled up behind Gibbs, the other half of the MCRT were already talking to the local LEOS. Tony quickly kissed Ziva's cheek, grabbing her attention.

"Hey, what we miss?" She quickly glanced at Gibbs who waved her off without even looking at her. She stepped around the man she had been speaking to, to join the men beside the second car.

"We are waiting for the bomb squad." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, watching the building to their left. Tony put his hand on the side of her face between her and the building, turning her gently to face him.

"Honey, what're you thinking?" She sighed as she worried her lower lip. "Baby?"

"Five years ago, we would have just sent me in. I would have disarmed it and we would not have to worry anymore." She sighed before leaning forward, ending with her face buried in his chest. He chuckled gently, wrapping his arms around her.

"Five years ago, we didn't have two beautiful children waiting for us to come home. We have better priorities now Angel." She sighed again before standing up straight once more and turning to McGee.

"How was Abby?" It was McGee's turn to sigh.

"She's being brave, but I think we're in for a fight to keep her level." Ziva nodded slowly, worrying her lip again. "It'll be okay. We'll support her between the seven of us." Gibbs chose that moment to join them. He looked scared, something that turned up the tension in the group from 'there's a bomb but bomb squad are on they're way' to 'oh shit' in mere seconds. He quickly put a hand on Tony and Ziva's backs and started pushing them in the opposite direction of the bomb, motioning at McGee to join them. They looked at him quickly just as he uttered a single word.

"Run!"

The four of them were still running when the shockwave hit, making the group hit the deck, hard. It was only then that they heard the blast. All four of them covered their heads instinctually, Tony throwing one arm around his wife. Gibbs was the first to get up to a seating position and faced the building which was now in flames. He quickly surveyed his agents.

"Everyone okay?" He received groans from all three before they slowly joined him in sitting up. Tony rested his head in his hands and wouldn't look up and Ziva was immediately kneeling in front of him.

"Honey?" He looked up and she clucked her tongue maternally.

"What's up Ziva?" McGee asked worriedly.

"I think Tony may have landed awkwardly. He has, at least, a nose bleed, if he has not broken it." She fussed gently until Gibbs joined her.

"Aw jeeze DiNozzo." Gibbs half heartedly chastised him. He quickly pinched the bridge of his agent's nose to stem the bleed. He winced beneath the pressure and Gibbs sighed. "Yup, broken. Okay, I'll call Duck; let him know that we have at least a broken nose for him."

"At least?" McGee asked hesitantly. Ziva gulped.

"There were people in the building, yes?" Gibbs nodded, already on the phone to the medical examiner. All three agents sighed before Ziva and McGee both got to their feet and helped up Tony. They had work to do.


	81. Chapter 81

Author's Note-I know, I know, I'm terrible. I leave you hanging for more than a week and then give you a really short filler-ish chapter. Feel free to throw things. I totally understand. I am however trying my best. I know where this story is going right to the last chapter I just need to get my ass in gear and write the damn thing before my muse runs off completely. Okay, read, review, enjoy. NYLF xx

* * *

The team were followed by several vans worth of evidence back to NCIS. Abby had been called en route and was already waiting for them all in the evidence garage. No one could help the smile that graced them when they saw she already had her trusty megaphone at the ready.

"You know the drill guys." Her voice rang out above the combined noise of over thirty people trailing box after box onto metal tables and into the elevator for transportation straight to the lab. "Organic on the left, mark it! Clearly! If it smells, take it to the lab, immediately! Non-combustible on the table at the back and fried on the right! Got it people? Good, let's go." No one dared, or wanted to, complain about the device's appearance this time. While all of the people drafted in to help got to work sorting, separating and following Abby's directions, the four agents went back to the squad room to search for paper and electronic evidence of their own.

"What have we got?" Gibbs strolled into the bullpen and, after a silent conversation, the three agents stood simultaneously and started to relay what they'd found so far.

"The building was originally a storage facility; however it has been out of commission for several years." Ziva started.

"It's owned by this guy, Liam Casey, forty eight, no wife, no kids. Bank records are clean, although he's flirting with bankruptcy." McGee continued.

"He's currently receiving dialysis as an outpatient and has been waiting for a liver transplant for the past four years. It doesn't rule him out, but it makes it unlikely that he did it alone if at all." Gibbs nodded at his senior field agent.

"Director wants to know ASAP if this was isolated or if we can expect more." All three agents nodded and went back to their desks. "Find him, I'm gonna go see Abs." McGee looked up. "Something the matter?"

"No, just, be…gentle, boss." Gibbs smiled.

"I'm not going empty handed McGee."

Gibbs walked into the suspiciously quiet lab, Caf-Pow in hand. He carefully peered over the evidence table, piled three high with evidence boxes and saw their resident forensic scientist leaning over her microscope. He noted the ear phones and tapped her shoulder. She immediately pulled them out and took the Caf-Pow she was offered.

"The volunteers don't like my music, plus, this way, I don't have to listen to them all talking amongst themselves." She offered hyperactively in explanation. Gibbs smiled.

"What d'ya got Abs?" She smiled brilliantly.

"I have found the id's of our four, yes _four, _victims, Anna Pearson, Mathew Mason, Peter Lankton and Evan Peers, I have found that all of the parts of the bomb are from everyday hardware stores and thus untraceable, and that our 'bomber' is a complete amateur so we needn't worry, in my opinion, about this being one of many and certainly not a terror attack, unless extremists are recruiting people with absolutely no idea how to mask their fingerprints. I'm running them through APHIS as we speak." Gibbs kissed her cheek.

"Good job Abs." When he made no move to leave, Abby turned to face him again.

"Gibbs?" She asked at length. "Was there something else?" He tilted his head towards her.

"You decided yet?" When she only looked more confused he elaborated. "What you're gonna do about your phone call?"

"Oh." She paused. "_That_." Gibbs nodded with a half smile. "No. I have six weeks and right now I have _far _too much on my mind to make such a life changing decision. Plus, in that time, we have a birthday to plan for the clan's littlest princess. I don't have time to think about it now." Gibbs pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"If ya need me Abs, my door's open." She smiled and nodded.

"Thank you. Now, go gather." He squeezed her shoulder before leaving the lab.


	82. Chapter 82

Just under an hour later, while Ziva was sat on the edge of Tony's desk, gently checking his, confirmed by Ducky, broken nose and with Tim no where to be seen after receiving a phone call ten minutes before, Gibbs' desk phone rang.

"Yeah, Gibbs." The unmistakable and heart-warming-ly bubbly voice of their resident forensic scientist filled the line asking him to come down to the lab because she'd done their job for them.

Gibbs breezed into the lab, Caf-Pow in hand and leant against the evidence table before motioning for Abby to begin with her explanation of the according to her now solved case.

"Okay. Fingerprint on the bomb bits belonged to Petty Officer Bill Pearson, husband for five years of Petty Officer Anna Pearson. With me so far?" Gibbs nodded once and Abby smiled. "Okay, now, _Anna,_ she's a character and a half, she had four, yup _four, _cell phones on her when she died. They survived quite well, well enough for me to see that she had one of our male victims on the back of three of them, and her husband's on the back of the other." She raised her eyebrows at him before turning to her computer. "Now, I know it's not my forte, but my dearly beloved text me and said that he had to run out, which I hope he told you too or I just dropped him right in it, oops, anyway, I did some, _research, _per say, and found that she was basically leading four separate personal lives." She turned to him with amusement and wonder in her gaze. "She was sleeping with all of them. She had them all going after her. I mean like jeeze, I mean, she's pretty and all but nothing extraordinary and also, how did she have the energy? I mean after a sixteen hour day here I barely have enough energy for Timmy let alone…" Gibbs clamped his hand over her mouth.

"_Way _too much information Abs." She nodded and he let her go.

"So I guess Bill found out about his wife's infidelity and decided to _end_ it? Also, I did some research on Bill; he was admitted to Bethesda this morning because he took an overdose shortly after the explosion. He died, an hour ago." Gibbs smirked.

"You sure you aren't an agent really?" Abby giggled before dropping his gaze nervously. "Abs?"

"Not an agent, but um, I may have said I'm your boss…again." Gibbs chuckled, placed a kiss to her cheek and the Caf-Pow in her hand.

"Thank Abs, great work." Gibbs turned to leave before Abby called him back. "Yeah?" She looked at him shyly and started half signing with her hands like she did when she was nervous. "Abby? Everything alright?" She nodded quickly.

"I, I've decided." Gibbs took quick steps to her side and laid a gentle hand on her arm.

"And?" She shook her head.

"I am ridiculously grateful to Ziva, and all of the favours she called in, and I'm glad that I know where she is, and that she's alive, and safe, and _happy_, but I have my family Gibbs. You, and the team, and Tim, and my children, and my adorable nephew and nieces. I don't need a mom." Gibbs pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

"You sure?" She nodded. "We'll support ya, either way."

"I know. But I'm happy Gibbs. Just as I am." Gibbs nodded and hugged her gently.

"Okay Abs." He left her to it as he made his way back up to the bullpen.

* * *

He stepped out of the elevator to the dulcet, caring tones of his agents and the unmistakeable sound of little children sniffling. He quickly made his way over to the bullpen and found McGee cradling Ava against his shoulder, gently swinging them from side to side while Ziva had a twin on either hip and Tony was perched on the edge of his desk in front of her, making as many facial expressions as his broken cartilage would allow to stop them both from crying.

"This would be a really bad time for a call out boss." McGee told him softly, careful to watch his volume so as to not disturb his drifting little girl. Gibbs shook his head.

"No call out." He came round and gently stoked Ava's warm, feverish cheek with one finger. "You poorly little one?" She nodded against her daddy's shoulder. Gibbs laid his hand against her forehead. "Know what's wrong with her?" McGee shook his head before resting it on top of his daughter's curls.

"No, school called didn't they Princess, said that you were in the nurses office 'feeling funny'. She promptly threw up on the nurse's shoes moments before I arrived. The nursery called on my way back to say the twins weren't well either." He chuckled as he watched the twins' sleepy smiles at their Uncle's antics. "I was thinking, after taking them to Ducky to check it isn't anything serious, maybe me and Abs could take them home?" Ziva gently passed Ethan to Tony before cradling a, now crying, twenty-five month old Isla.

"Oh Tateleh, you are not well are you sweetheart?" Ziva gently rocked her in her arms. "I think they just need to go home Tim." He nodded before turning to Gibbs.

"Go on, Abby solved our case so all we gotta do is write ups. I'm putting you on call; don't come in, except for call outs, until they're better." McGee smiled warmly at his father figure.

"Thanks Gibbs." He nodded before pressing a kiss to Ava's tiny hand.

"You get better Kiddo okay?" She nodded lethargically. "Get Duck to check 'em out, I'll call ahead and get Abs to meet you in autopsy." McGee nodded before turning to the twins trying to work out how to get them all down to autopsy seeing as Ziva had come to help him get them all from the car. "Go on you two, go with him; you can start your reports when you get back." McGee shot him a grateful smile before his entire team and one half of his grandchildren made their way to the back elevator.

Gibbs called ahead to alert Ducky, more to make sure there wasn't anything not kiddie-friendly about than to alert him of them requiring him in a professional capacity. He then phoned Abs to tell her, while keeping her as calm as he could, that she needed to go into mother mode and meet her family in autopsy. She thanked him before promptly hanging up and doing as instructed.

Once Ducky had assured worried parents and extended family alike, that it was nothing to worry about, and simply a bug, Abby and McGee packed their children back into the car and Tony and Ziva returned to their desks to discover how their case was now miraculously closed before they could write their case reports.


	83. Chapter 83

After a week, Kayla had caught the bug and Ducky had Jimmy stay home to look after her. Week two, Oscar and Alaigha had caught it. Given that Gibbs couldn't let his whole team out of working, but he also couldn't expect Tony and Ziva to come to work-not just because everyone else was allowed to stay with their kids but also because Alaigha wasn't even a year old and being born two months early had impaired Oscar's immune system slightly-he talked to Leon who allowed the team to work from home except for call outs for which Abby ended up with six poorly under fives on her hands.

Seeing how close the six of them were, they kept catching it off each other until week five when they all finally looked brighter. The whole team sighed in relief and returned to work and their children to day-care and school, on the Wednesday of week five. Once his team were back, and Leon had reassigned them all the major cases, he had diverted them to the B team while they had been largely out of action, Gibbs didn't have a moment to talk to Tony and Ziva about next week until the Friday night when they had stayed late to finish their overdue paperwork so they could leave early on the Monday seeing as it was Alaigha's first birthday.

"Before you leave," Gibbs started as his agents started packing up. They both looked at each other before looking at him as he sat on the edge of his desk, staring at the floor. "Was thinking about giving Leia Kel's old doll's house for her birthday? I know she's young but it'll be something she can grow into. What ya think?" He looked up to see tears in Ziva's eyes as she clasped her chest and Tony giving him a shy, reassuring smile. "Jeeze Ziver, no need to cry about it." He chuckled and she tried to join in but her chuckle soon became a sob. Gibbs quickly embraced her. She wrapped her arms around him while Tony text Abby, who had taken the kids back to hers while they finished, to tell her they would be a little while longer because Gibbs had made Ziva cry. Abby's lightening quick reply made him laugh. Ziva turned to face him within the circle of Gibbs' embrace.

"Sorry, I told Abs we'd be late because you made Zi cry and she sent back, 'oh my God, why? If he yelled, tell him I will yell back twice as loud. Plus I'm the favourite so he'll forgive me for it' smiley face ex oh ex oh." Gibbs smiled gently before turning back to face Ziva.

"So, no, then?" Ziva took a step back and shook her head.

"You are _more_ than welcome just…" She paused.

"Ziver?" She looked to Tony for support, who winked at her.

"Do you not want to keep it?" Gibbs considered it for a moment, despite the two weeks he'd dedicated to the decision.

"I'd rather it get played with, than sit in a room that's more of a shrine than a young girl's bedroom." Tears welled in Tony's eyes and he quickly busied himself with packing. "Ava and Isla will play with it as well as Leia, so I know it'll get played with." Ziva nodded.

"Then we would be delighted to have you give it to her." Gibbs smiled before waving them off.

"Go on then, go get 'em. Oh and DiNozzo?" Tony cleared his throat to get rid of any trace of tears before addressing him.

"Yes, boss?" Gibbs chuckled slightly.

"Make sure Abs isn't mad at me." Tony laughed.

"Will do. Night boss." He nodded and waved as Tony grabbed his gear and held out his hand to Ziva, who smiled one last time and Gibbs before taking it and leaving.

Gibbs watched the elevator close before wincing and running his hand across his pounding forehead.

"Damn it!" He murmured under his breath. "They said these would stop."

* * *

Author's Note-*Ducks*


	84. Chapter 84

Author's Note-Umm, hello? Is there anybody out there? Anyone actually still reading this? Oh. Hey. *awkwardly waves* I know that it's been like four months but my muse ran off. Actually, in all honesty, she isn't back yet. But this came to me after writing 'You Can Let Go Now Daddy' (shameless plug) and I decided that, rather than leaving this to collect cyber dust (totally a thing) on my computer-so I don't get all your hopes up, and then not end up writing this again for another four months- I thought I'd just upload it now and make sure you all understand that it could well be another long period before I write again. But I wanted you to have this. Consider it an early Christmas (or your variation thereupon) present from me to you :D. So read, review, enjoy NYLF xx

* * *

Luckily for the entire team, no cases interrupted their plans for Monday evening. Tony and Ziva left at three to collect both of the children while the rest of the team finished up for another two hours before they all packed up and made their respective ways to the DiNozzo-David household.

Ziva carefully propped Aleigha on her hip as she carefully pressed a single candle into the top of the cake they had brought, neither of them having the time or energy after work to _bake_ her birthday cake, while Oscar sat and coloured with his dad.

Tony was laid on the floor, on his stomach, talking to his son about anything and everything while they coloured with the new crayons they had brought him earlier in the day. They had both decided that, rather than running the risk of Oscar being jealous of his little sister getting lots of presents, they would just buy him something so he could enjoy the day too. He seemed happy enough, he was even staying in the lines a lot better than Tony was managing. Ziva chuckled at the scene before going into the nursery to get Leia changed.

"Come then Tateleh hmm?" She smiled as her daughter sat on the changing mat while Ziva quickly unpopped the all in one she had put her in, after her bath, for her nap. "Big day today. You're such a big girl now." Aleigha smiled happily, showing off her relatively newly developed four front teeth.

"Big!" She giggled happily as her mother quickly changed her diaper before threading her legs through a pair of adorable purple, orange spotted tights. Ziva smiled at her beautiful chatty baby girl.

"That is right my Darling. You are big!" Ziva smiled animatedly as she gently tapped her on the nose, making her giggle wildly. Ziva carefully worked a long sleeved pink and white striped t-shirt over the little girl's head before slipping her dungarees up her legs and fastening them quickly.

"Mama, mama, mama!" Leia chanted happily as Ziva hoisted her onto her hip in order to gently brush her daughter's short but thick curls, she had been right that first day, Leia was developing to look exactly like her mother. Tony leaned against the door frame as he watched his two girls get ready. "Dada!" Leia exclaimed happily having spotted her father over her mother's shoulder. Ziva turned with a radiant smile that still made Tony's heart flutter.

"Hey Baby." He quickly made his way over, kissing his wife gently before pressing a kiss to the end of his daughter's nose. "Can I do anything to help?"

"Where is Oscar?" She asked distractedly, turning on the spot as she tried to locate Leia's head band.

"Bathroom." He replied, leaning over and grabbing a headband from the inside door handle. "This one?" He asked holding out the almost fluorescent pink soft wrap-around head band. Ziva smiled and kissed him quickly.

"Yes, that one, can you take her so I can put it on her?" Tony clapped at his daughter before taking her from her mother and swinging her in a circle before holding her so she was facing Ziva, her back against his chest, still giggling her little heart out. Ziva smiled as she carefully teased the curls out from the band and snapped it into place, kissing the baby quickly.

"Can you believe our _baby_ is a whole year old?" Ziva shook her head in answer to his question, watching her daughter almost wistfully. "Seems like only yesterday you were sat on that stakeout bathroom." Ziva laughed softly, shaking her head at the memory.

"I threatened to shoot you." She recalled quietly, gently taking Leia's tiny hand in hers and tracing the minuscule creases in her palm.

"And divorce Gibbs." Tony smiled. Ziva laughed before tucking herself into her husband's side, carefully slotting one arm around their daughter. "You okay?" He asked softly. She nodded after a moment's hesitation.

"It is hard." Tony nodded, knowing it always would be for her. "She is our _baby_." Her voice wavered on the last word. Tony quickly disentangled himself from her before carefully placing Aleigha on the floor, watching with a fatherly eye as she toddled out the room, before engulfing his wife in a tender embrace. Ziva curled her arms around his neck and pulled herself flush against his chest.

"I know today is bittersweet Baby okay, so if you need a minute just ask." She nodded against him. "It's only family, they understand." Ziva took a shuddering breath.

"I missed so much Tony." He encased her tighter, suddenly understanding that much clearer why today was quite so tear-jerking for her.

"You missed seventeen days Zi." He reminded her gently.

"I missed some of her _first _seventeen days, and all the time after that that I could not hold her, bond with her…" She trailed off, nuzzling into his neck.

"She's more than forgiven you Zi, you're our daughter's favourite person in the entire world." He chuckled. "I feel quite left out some days." Ziva pulled back and saw that he was only half joking.

"She is you're little Angel Tony." He smiled.

"Yeah and Oscar's my little man, my movie enthusiast, but Zi, it's like Ninja and Mini-Ninja some days." She smiled shyly.

"You really think so?" Tony nodded before kissing her gently, lingeringly.

"So, shall we go make sure our son hasn't fallen in and our daughter escaped before the family get here?" Ziva chuckled before nodding. Tony took her hand and they silently left the nursery, going on the hunt for their suddenly too-quiet-to-not-be-making-trouble children.

Once the family had all arrived, each with an arm full of presents, Ziva relaxed. She enjoyed the time she was spending with her unorthodox mix-and-match family rather than dwelling on the time she had missed with her daughter. Gifts were exchanged, 'Happy Birthday' sung, candles lit and blown out more than once and the cake cut and eaten. It was several hours later when only Gibbs remained in the family's home, everyone else leaving to either put themselves, Ducky, or their children to bed.

"Great party Ziver." Gibbs murmured conscious of the tiny bundle that was currently curled in his lap, fast asleep as he gently stroked her tiny back. Ziva smiled, kissing Oscar's head as Tony walked passed her to take him to his bed.

"I know she will not remember, but it is important to me, and to Tony, that our children laugh and smile their way through their childhood." Gibbs smiled, gently picking Alaigha up and transferring her onto his shoulder. She grumbled in her sleep at the move before snuggling into his neck and giving a soft baby sigh. Ziva watched the scene, a gentle smile on her lips.

"You're doing good, both of you." Ziva smiled shyly. "You're good parents; I want you to always remember how proud I am of you both." Her brow furrowed slightly.

"Gibbs, are you…?" Tony entered the room and quickly kissed her cheek, halting her question.

"You want me to take her boss?" Tony asked quietly, nodding at his sleeping baby. Gibbs tilted his head to watch as Leia slept, her minute rosebud lips pouted adorably as she suckled in her dreams.

"Can I put her down?" The slightly unsure tone worried Ziva and shocked Tony but he nodded all the same.

"Course you can, you know where everything is right?" Gibbs nodded before making his way to the nursery.

Once he was out of ear shot, Tony turned to his wife and took her into his arms. "Is he okay?" Ziva buried her face into his chest. "Hey, Baby, what's wrong?"

"I just have a feeling that he is not very 'okay' at all." Tony kissed her crown before resting his cheek on her curls, wrapping her closer as she fought to breathe steadily.

Once Leia was changed into her sleeper suit, Gibbs kissed her forehead and gently lowered her into her crib.

"Goodnight little one." He whispered, stroking a curl behind her ear, smiling to himself at just how much the small child before him looked like her mother. He crouched beside the cot, gently stroking his granddaughter's miniature hand through the bars. "Look after you mama and papa for me okay? Keep 'em safe and happy just as they will you." He stood and laid his hand across her scalp for just a few seconds before leaving the room, saying goodbye to his agents and heading home.


End file.
